lightingartificial

Artificial lighting refers to illumination produced by electrical or other artificial sources rather than natural daylight. It encompasses a range of technologies, from traditional incandescent lamps to modern light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and is used in homes, workplaces, streets, and transportation to provide visibility, safety, and ambiance.

Historically, humans relied on candles, oil lamps, and gas lighting before electric sources became available in the late 19th century with carbon arc and tungsten filament bulbs. The mid-20th century introduced fluorescent lighting, and the 21st century saw LEDs emerge as the dominant technology due to higher efficiency, longer life, and falling costs. Today, artificial lighting includes incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, high-intensity discharge (HID), and LED systems, each with distinct characteristics for color, brightness, and maintenance needs.

Key technical concepts in artificial lighting include luminous flux (measured in lumens), luminous efficacy (lumens per watt), color temperature (Kelvin), and color rendering index (CRI). Lighting design aims to provide sufficient illumination while minimizing glare and energy consumption, often employing controls such as dimmers, sensors, and daylight harvesting. The choice of technology influences color appearance, task suitability, and comfort, with warmer temperatures often favored for living spaces and cooler temperatures for work areas.

Environmental and social considerations accompany artificial lighting. Energy-efficient lamps reduce electricity use and operating costs, while disposal and recycling concerns arise for certain lamp types (eg, mercury-containing fluorescents). Trends in the field include smart lighting, tunable white systems, and integration with building automation and the internet of things to optimize performance and user experience.