Dynasolis™ Lighting | NICHIA CORPORATION

Product Features

What is Dynasolis™?

This is a completely new LED tuning solution that regulates circadian rhythms by simultaneously adjusting melanopic illuminance¹ and color temperature while maintaining high CRI and high efficacy.
Most existing human centric lighting systems mainly work by changing CCT (correlated color temperature), the visual element. However, Nichia also focuses on the non-visual element that truly addresses human circadian rhythms, from waking up to going to sleep. This can be done by enabling lighting that has both color tuning and Spectrum tuning, ranging from an energizing spectrum (Azure) to a calming spectrum. This supports modern lifestyles where people spend most of their time indoors, to optimize their circadian rhythms and lead comfortable lives.

¹ The Melanopic Illuminance unit
The Melanopic Illuminance unit quantitatively captures the brightness affecting circadian rhythm. Unlike conventional illuminance, it is the illuminance weighted to ipRGCs, which are the light-sensitive ganglion cells on the retina. It is used as a criteria for circadian evaluation. Melanopic exposure to high intensity light stimulates the secretion of serotonin, a hormone responsible for regulating the human body's internal clock.

Features of Dynasolis™

Development background and concept

Recently, the influence of natural light on the human body and its influence has been drawing attention, and its importance has been reaffirmed. It is believed that the insomnia and other physical disorders that a large number of people suffer from today can be attributed to modern lifestyles that make it difficult to get enough natural light. The building industry is increasingly encouraging designs that bring more natural light indoors. In the field of lighting, another major challenge is how to realize light and lighting environments that are comfortable for humans and therefore, so-called human centric lighting and circadian lighting have been gaining attention. There is a movement to require designs for indoor lighting with a new concept that focuses on the “quality of light” and the “function of light”.

What has been lacking in conventional indoor lighting is 480nm light, which is abundant in the morning sun. This 480nm light stimulates the secretion of serotonin, the “happy hormone,” and activates the human body and mind. The more serotonin secreted in the morning, the more melatonin, a sleep hormone, is secreted 14 to 16 hours later, using it as a source. Thus, 480nm light is considered as very important by having a twofold significance.
Focusing on this 480nm light, Nichia proposes Azure color LEDs (Fig.1) that can effectively supply the light of that wavelength, and Dynasolis™, a color and spectrum tuning solution that is achieved by using Azure color LEDs.

Fig.1: Azure color that can effectively supply light at 480nm

² Serotonin
When humans get sunshine, serotonin is secreted within the cerebrum, leading to: Proactivity, stable mental outlook and peace of mind, quick and flexible thinking, strengthened intuition, improved work efficiency, reduced errors. It also helps to reduce the reactive oxygen species in the body that leads to aging.

³ Melatonin is a sleep hormone produced from serotonin in a region of the brain called the pineal body. Melatonin secretion begins 14 hours after waking up in the morning and reaches its peak within 2 hours. The secretion of melatonin is responsible for the 24-hour daily biological rhythm (biological clock, circadian rhythm). In environments where people are not exposed to sufficient sunlight during the day, melatonin is not secreted properly, disrupting the circadian rhythm and causing sleep disorders that keep people awake at night.

Mechanism of Dynasolis™ and comparison with conventional color tuning lighting

Conventional color tuning lighting has used mainly 6500K LEDs on the high CCT side and 2700K LEDs on the low CCT side.
Dynasolis™, which has the high CCT side replaced with Azure LEDs (Fig.2), can maximize the melanopic illuminance by increasing the output at 480nm, thereby stimulating physical and mental activation from awakening in the morning and melatonin secretion in the evening and beyond. Furthermore, by gradually reducing Azure-colored light and changing to the lower CCT, it is possible to produce light that gives a sense of comfort. Nichia approaches the adjustment of circadian rhythms from the perspective of spectrum tuning.

Fig.2: Tunable color range when using Dynasolis™

Dynasolis™ is a completely new color tuning and spectrum tuning solution that focuses on the importance of 480nm Azure-colored light, defying the conventional concept of color tuning that simply changes the ratio of low and high CCTs.

Fig.3 compares the spectrum of the same CCT (6500K) between color tuning with the conventional concept and Dynasolis™. It clearly shows that the 480nm area at the peak of the melanopic sensitivity curve is significantly different.

Fig.3: Comparison of the spectrum of the same CCT (6500K) between the conventional concept and Dynasolis™

Expected uses for Dynasolis™

A unique feature of Dynasolis™ is to support the optimization of circadian rhythms by adjusting both the amount of Azure-colored light which vitalizes humans and color temperature.

Waking up with an Azure color and being exposed to plenty of light with a wavelength of 480nm, which is abundant in the morning sun, stimulates the secretion of serotonin and leads to the normalization of the circadian rhythm.
Later, during daytime activity hours, the color temperature is increased to a refreshing higher CCT, which is equivalent to or higher than natural daylight, to improve alertness and maintain concentration. From the late afternoon, the light is gradually changed to a lower CCT, which is calmer and more relaxing, allowing people to relax, feel more comfortable, and sleep more smoothly. By adjusting the amount of Azure-colored light and CCT at the same time, Nichia expects Dynasolis™ to be used as human centric lighting that considers circadian rhythms. (Fig.4 and Fig.5)

Fig.4: Comparison of MEER between a conventional 6500K and Azure

Fig.5: Example of the color tuning within one day

To enable flexible color and spectrum tuning, Dynasolis™ can be achieved by simply implementing azure and “warm white” colors alternately using either the Direct Mountable Chip Series or 757 Series. (Fig.6)

Fig.6

Dynasolis™ White Paper

Dynasolis™ as a True Human Centric Lighting Solution

As more attention is being paid today to human centric lighting (HCL), many lighting manufacturers are looking into the functions of HCL in an effort to perfect circadian lighting designs. This paper provides important basic concepts of HCL as well as the effects of cyan light on human health and wellbeing. It explains distinct features of Nichia's Dynasolis™ and the study results for cognitive and phycological effects of Dynasolis™ ligting solution by Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics.

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