Bright sparks in lighting design awarded - 2008

08 October 2008

A display which tells you when the next bus will arrive and a light which echoes conversation are two award-winning QUT projects named at an event showcasing the future of lighting design in Queensland.

Four students, from Queensland University of Technology's School of Design were among nine finalists whose work was selected as part of the recent 2008 Intralux Luminaire Lighting Awards.

The annual competition is one of the premier lighting awards in Queensland that honour the best and brightest student designers in lighting innovation.

Students were invited to submit their entries based on this year's theme which was the future of lighting.

Winning QUT entries were  Light Stop, designed by third-year Industrial Design student Mathew Nelson and  Pseudo Echo  created by fellow third-year student Forrest Gillham.

Light Stop, which was named Best Overall Design, is an innovative lighting display applied to commuter stops which allows people to determine the proximity of the next bus, train or ferry service, when it will arrive and whether it is full.

The display, which can be fitted to existing transport shelters, is powered by state-of-the-art solar panel technology and uses light emitting diodes alongside a specially designed lens and reflector system as a signalling device to alert commuters to the arrival of the next service.

Mr Nelson, who resides at Runcorn, said the idea for the concept grew as a result of his own experience as a commuter.

"As a frequent commuter there have been plenty of times when I was unsure as to what time the next bus would arrive and what number service it was, '' Mr Nelson said.

"From my stop, there is a rocket bus 156 and a 150 and it's always best to get the 156 as it's quicker into the city, but I always find myself getting onto the slow 150, not knowing that a quicker or empty bus is behind.

" Light Stop  lets people know all the relevant information and will hopefully encourage more people to use public transport instead of cars. ''

Mr Nelson has recently been in discussions with Brisbane City Council to trial the  Light Stop  project on Brisbane's ferry services.

Brisbane City Councillor Jane Prentice, Chairwoman of the Public and Active Transport and Economic Development, met with Mr Nelson to discuss a proposal which she has handed directly to State transport minister John Mickel for consideration.

Mr Gillham's futuristic  Pseudo Echo  won the innovation award by pushing the boundaries of traditional lighting concepts used in communal spaces.

The unique project uses voice activation and speech recognition software to generate illuminated text onto glass panels which echo the conversation of those in the room.

Organic LED lights are laminated between glass screens to form a partition which serves as the backdrop to the illuminated letters, which glow as the conversation intensifies and fade as people vacate the room.

Mr Gillham, of Red Hill, said the idea for the design was shaped by this year's theme for the awards.

"The theme of this year 's awards was the future of lighting so in designing this project my mind gravitated to something which had a futuristic element to it, '' Mr Gillham said.

"The technology has been around for a while, but the idea is quite new, so the next step will be to secure the IP and hopefully market it.

"My original idea for this design was that it could work well in any communal setting, in particular boardrooms and conference rooms as a novel way to partition the area off as well as illuminate the space. ''

Media contact: Amanda Vine, QUT media officer, 07 3138 2130. amanda.vine@qut.edu.au