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Circadian rhythms impact upon a large proportion of human biology. Disruption due to genetic or environmental (e.g. altered sleep patterns in shift workers) cues results in reduced quality of life and increased morbidity for millions of people every year.
Researchers at Surrey first demonstrated blue light sensitivity of the human circadian system, resulting in increased alertness and mood. This led to changes in international lighting standards and the development and use of novel lighting systems, such as blue-enriched polychromatic lighting. These systems have been employed in homes for older people, factories, offices, hospitals and schools, increasing health and wellbeing.
Impact: Economic The light-emittingdendrimers are a new class of materials for organic light-emitting diodes, a major display technology. They have been commercialised by Cambridge Display Technology (CDT), the leading developer of polymer light-emitting diodes.
Significance Light-emitting dendrimers provided a breakthrough in the efficiency of organic light emitting diode (OLED) materials deposited from solution. This enabled the convenience of solution-processing to be combined with high efficiency, and enabled solution-processed materials to compete with evaporated materials.
Beneficiaries CDT, display manufacturers around the world and display users.
Attribution The research was performed by Professor Samuel in collaboration with Professor Burn of the University of Oxford.
Reach Materials based on light-emitting dendrimers are manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical in Japan and supplied to global displays manufacturers.
Research by Raynham et al has led to the adoption of white light in residential roads and city centres throughout the UK, enabling an energy saving of 30-40% while providing better quality of street lighting. As a result, today there are now c.1,200,000 conventional street lights with white light sources and a further c.220,000 LED lanterns that emit white light. Conservative estimates suggest that this changeover to white light saved 113 GWh of electricity in 2012, and thus reduced the UK emissions of CO2 by 45.5 megatons.
Implementation of photonic quasi-crystals on light emitting diodes (LEDs) can produce more light using less energy. This technology was brought to the global market via the successful commercialisation of laboratory devices derived from research in nanophotonics and the subsequent development of photonic quasi-crystals by a multi-disciplinary team from the University of Southampton. The intellectual property of the technology was acquired and adopted in 2008 by Luxtaltek Corporation, a global manufacturer of LEDs. In the period 2008-2012 Luxtaltek Corporation, made total profits of £35 million utilising the photonic quasi-crystal LED technology, employing more than 300 people in its production facilities.
The Lighting Group has been involved in the formulation of national and international design guidance, with impacts on the practices of the UK and international lighting industry.
This guidance offers designers the tools to create optimum visual conditions in energy efficient buildings while reducing electric lighting usage. This involves three areas:
The main impact of the work is its influence on the body of professional practice relating to interior lighting design. This guidance advocates the creation of user friendly visual conditions, low electricity usage and natural light in areas remote from windows.
Impact: Health and Economic Gains:
Research has led to a wearable light source that provides a new way of treating many skin cancers and acne. The treatment is safe, convenient, and easy to use bringing benefits to patients and healthcare providers. In addition it brings economic benefits to Ambicare Health Ltd, the company commercialising it.
Significance
For skin cancer treatment, the device gives effective treatment with much reduced pain. The simplified treatment procedure allows more patients to be treated in a clinic session. For acne, the device provides a convenient at-home treatment without the application of drugs or chemicals.
Beneficiaries:
Skin cancer and acne sufferers, the clinics that treat them and Ambicare Health Ltd.
Attribution:
The work was led by Professor Ifor Samuel (PHYESTA) working with Professor James Ferguson (Ninewells Hospital, Dundee).
Reach:
The wearable light source has changed treatment in the UK and the Netherlands. The skin cancer treatment is in regular use at more than 25 clinics, and the acne treatment at more than 250 clinics.
Interdisciplinary research on a new class of organo-metallic light emitting polymers showed that they could produce white light very efficiently. A consortium of the University and Industry (predominantly Thorn Lighting, the largest lighting manufacturing employer in the North East) developed and patented these into a viable alternative to mercury vapour fluorescent lights with a £4.3M grant from the DTI with matched funding from industry. The companies are investing in scaling this up to a full commercial supply chain, supported by a £4M grant from the Technology Strategy Board. The success of the project helped BIS secure £20.5M to support Plastic Electronics in the UK, creating 26 jobs, and was cited as a factor in the Thorn decision not to close down its North East site, safeguarding 600 jobs.
Natural photonics research by Professor Pete Vukusic at the University of Exeter was responsible for shaping the successful global communications strategy of Bausch & Lomb, a world-leading supplier of eye health products. Drawing on Vukusic's studies into bio-inspiration, Bausch & Lomb built its core brand messaging for a major new lens product around the ability of nature to inspire technological breakthroughs. Outreach campaigns targeting media and optometry professionals took Vukusic's research to an international audience, raising wider public awareness of the concept of bio-inspiration. Bausch & Lomb attributed their subsequent rapid sales growth to Vukusic's work.
Periodontitis is a significant public health concern affecting more than half of those over 30 years of age. Our research on light-activated antimicrobial agents (LAAAs) has resulted in the development of a novel, non-invasive therapy that quickly and safely treats periodontitis, thereby reducing antibiotic usage. This technology was developed for commercial use through a licence agreement with Ondine Biomedical and their subsidiary company PDT Inc., as a system called Periowave. Periowave is available in Canada, Mexico and South East Asia, has been granted CE marking and FDA approval is currently being sought. To date an estimated 92,000 treatment kits have been sold and 313,000 patients treated. The system has now also been adapted for use in hospitals to eradicate MRSA from the anterior nares thereby preventing post-surgical infections.
University of Nottingham research into the use of natural lighting and ventilation in building design has resulted in the development, marketing and application of two new sister products (SunCatcher and Sola-Vent) by a leading supplier of low-carbon, low-energy solutions. Since 2008, 745 installations of Sola-Vent units have been carried out by Monodraught Ltd. Homes and commercial premises, both in the UK and overseas, have benefitted from the low energy demands of the system. As well as delivering economic benefits for the company, this work has had a positive impact on building owners and occupiers and the wider environment.