Light Infrastructure Research Articles

An approach to ensure joint illumination & communication performance of a forward error corrected indoor visible light communication (VLC) system in presence of ambient light interference

Abstract In recent time of looming radio frequency (RF) spectrum crisis, visible light communication using lighting infrastructure emerged as a potential alternative at an indoor environment. This paper addresses the setback associated with ambient light interference in an indoor Visible Light Communication (VLC) system to ensure joint communication and illumination performance inside an office room. A novel VLC architecture with suitable white light emitting diode (WLED) luminaire arrangement is presented to minimize the dispersion of signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) across the room. Luminaires are categorized in two groups viz. data transmitting illuminants and illuminants for lighting purpose. The first group is dedicated to transmit data as well as serves the purpose of illumination. The other set creates only ambient illumination to achieve quality lighting attributes. The proposed forward error corrected receiver configuration discards the ambient light noise originated by the illuminants that serve the ambient illumination. Tail biting convolutional encoder and viterbi decoder are used at the encoding section of the transmitter and decoding section of the receiver respectively to improve bit error rate. Results obtained through MATLAB simulation shows better average bit error rate (BER) in the order of 10−8 measured at uniformly distributed 25 grid points over the working plane. At the same time achieved average horizontal illuminance with good uniformity comply with ISO recommendation.

Investigation of laser plasma instabilities driven by 527 nm laser pulses relevant for direct drive inertial confinement fusion

We report on a study of laser plasma instabilities with 527 nm laser pulses in an intensity range of 0.5×1013−1.1×1015 Wcm−2 and plasma parameters entering a regime that is relevant for direct drive inertial confinement fusion. Using the kilojoule high repetition rate L4n laser at the Extreme Light Infrastructure—Beamlines, more than 1300 shots were collected, and the onset and the growth of stimulated Brioullin scattering (SBS) and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) were studied with a high confidence level. The measured onset intensities are 0.2×1014 Wcm−2 for SBS and 1.4×1014 Wcm−2 for SRS. At the maximum intensity, the total fraction of backscattered energy reaches 2.5% for SBS and 0.1% for SRS. These results are of high relevance for advanced concepts for inertial fusion energy, which rely on the use of 527 nm laser light to drive the implosion of the fuel target, and in particular, they can be used as a benchmark for advanced simulations.

Digital Twin Learning Ecosystem: A cyber–physical framework to integrate human-machine knowledge in traditional manufacturing

As Industry 4.0 enablers, digital twins of manufacturing systems have led to multiple interaction levels among processes, systems, and workers across the factory. However, open issues still exist when addressing cyber–physical convergence in traditional manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises. The problem for both traditional operators and the existing infrastructure is how to adapt knowledge to the increasing business needs of manufacturing plants that demand high efficiency, while reducing production costs. In this paper, a framework that implements the novel concept of Digital Twin Learning Ecosystem in traditional manufacturing is presented. The objective is to facilitate the integration of human-machine knowledge in different industrial cyber–physical contexts and eliminate existing technological and workforce barriers. This adaptive approach is particularly important in meeting the requirements to help small and medium-sized enterprises build their own interconnected Digital Twin Learning Ecosystem. The contribution of this work lies in a single digital twin learning framework for different traditional manufacturing scenarios that can work from scratch using a light infrastructure, reusing the knowledge and common condition-based methods well-known by skilled workers to rapidly and flexibly integrate existing legacy resources in a non-intrusive manner. The solution was tested using real data from a milling machine and a currently operating induction furnace with a maximum power of 12 MW in a foundry plant. In both cases, the proposed solution proved its benefits: first, by providing augmented methods for maintenance operations on the milling machine and second, by improving the power efficiency of the induction furnace by approximately 9 percent.

Visible Light Positioning-Based Robot Localization and Navigation

Visible light positioning or VLP has been identified as a promising technique for accurate indoor localization utilizing pre-existing lighting infrastructure. Robot navigation is one of the many potential applications of VLP. Recent literature shows a small number of works on robots being controlled by fusing location information acquired via VLP that uses a rolling shutter effect camera as a receiver with other sensor data. This paper, in contrast, reports on the experimental performance of a cartesian robot that was controlled solely by a VLP system using a cheap photodiode-based receiver rigidly attached to the robot’s end-effector. The receiver’s position was computed using an inverse-Lambertian function for ranging followed by multi-lateration. We developed two novel methods to leverage the VLP as an online navigation system to control the robot. The position acquired from the VLP was used by the algorithms to determine the direction the robot needed to move. The developed algorithms guided the end-effector to move from a starting point to target/destination point(s) in a discrete manner, determined by a pre-determined step size. Our experiments consisted of the robot autonomously repeating straight line-, square- and butterfly-shaped paths multiple times. The results show median errors of 27.16 mm and 26.05 mm and 90 percentile errors of 37.04 mm and 47.48 mm, respectively, for the two methods.

Gaia-X & Fiware: Implementation of a Federated Data Platform in Smart Cities

Using and connecting different technologies to improve the quality of urban life is a significant challenge for smart cities. The interconnection of transport, energy, water, public lighting, and other urban infrastructure systems is critical to providing quality services to citizens and reducing environmental impact. However, data interoperability from these systems is a significant challenge, as data is mainly stored in different formats and locations from various sources. This paper examines the challenges of integrating existing datasets in intelligent cities and proposes solutions to create secure and interoperable data-sharing environments. To this end, an approach called data federation is discussed by implementing a federated platform for integrating such data. However, it is essential to note that there may be challenges in terms of cybersecurity and interoperability. This is where context brokers play a crucial role, regulating access to data by enforcing rules and providing security standards. In this way, these challenges can be managed appropriately, ensuring data protection and the system’s proper functioning. Finally, it is essential to mention that this work is linked to a smart cities project, which aims to promote innovation in smart cities by implementing several innovative solutions. The study presented in this research contributes to understanding the challenges in smart cities. It proposes solutions for creating secure and interoperable data-sharing environments, which are essential both for the project’s success and for the development of smart cities worldwide.

Enhancing Airport Navigation Using Visible Light Communication

This study introduces an innovative approach to facilitate navigation within crowded multi-terminal airports using Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology. Existing luminaires serve as transmission points, conveying encoded messages through modulated light signals to provide location-specific guidance to users. Equipped with tetrachromatic LEDs and VLC capabilities, these luminaires efficiently transmit data, demonstrated through coverage map analysis and the implementation of the OOK modulation scheme. A novel mesh cellular hybrid structure is proposed, eliminating traditional gateways and enhancing system flexibility. Integrating VLC into an Edge/Fog architecture leverages VLC’s wireless connectivity and secure line-of-sight communication while utilizing existing lighting infrastructure. This integration enables distributed data processing, storage, and communication at the network edge, thereby improving system performance and responsiveness. The paper presents a detailed airport model generation and analyzes two user categories: pedestrians and luggage/passenger carriers. Users are equipped with PINPIN optical sensors to receive and interpret modulated light signals, facilitating localization and positioning calculations. A communication protocol tailored to VLC specifications is discussed, alongside coding and decoding techniques to ensure reliable transmission. This approach demonstrates the potential of VLC to enhance navigation and user experience in high-density environments like airports.

Wireless Smart Lighting System: A Cost-Effective Approach to Energy Saving with Centralized Control for Large-Scale Campus Infrastructure

In order to improve lighting management throughout a campus infrastructure, operational flexibility, and energy efficiency, this study suggests a wireless smart lighting system with centralized control. The system combines wireless sensors, LED illumination, and a central control unit to manage lighting according to occupancy, the time of day, and environmental factors. Significant energy savings are possible since the system may be remotely monitored and optimized through the use of a wireless communication protocol. Phases of the implementation included installing sensors and LEDs, setting up a centralized control system, and evaluating the campus lighting infrastructure. The outcomes demonstrate a significant reduction in energy use, easier upkeep, and better illumination around the campus. Energy-efficient and environmentally friendly lighting solutions are in high demand, particularly in huge infrastructures like college campuses. Conventional lighting systems frequently need human operation and are inefficient, which increases operational complexity and wasteful energy use. A wireless smart lighting system with centralized control that is specifically designed for campus infrastructures is suggested in this research. Using wireless sensors, LED lights, and a centralized control unit, the system dynamically modifies illumination according to occupancy, ambient light levels, and time of day in real time.

TRANSFORMATION OF PASSIVE DESIGN ELEMENTS FOR ACHIEVING THERMAL COMFORT IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS OF MANSEHRA CITY, PAKISTAN FROM 1990 TO 2019

Among the most evolving issues in recent years, there is growing concern over global warming throughout the world. The construction industry has been considered among the major contributors to global warming. The use of building envelope along with the heating, cooling, and lighting design, operations, and infrastructures are the prime factors of this contribution. Due to this reason, the thermal comfort of buildings has become a major concern in building design globally. The following research explored the building design elements used for thermal comfort in residential buildings of Mansehra City of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan and analyzed its transformation during the last three decades. The study proceeded by documenting and comparing various design elements to understand their transformation within documented time periods i.e. thermal mass, fixed shading devices, and the ratio of open and closed spaces. These elements were evaluated for their effectiveness in providing thermal comfort. It was concluded that these design elements have been adapted and modified with time with little concern for sustainability. It was found that the focus has shifted from building orientation, sun path, and wind directions to aesthetically pleasing forms only which makes them saleable and lack human comfort. The use of passive means to achieve thermal comfort was neglected. The research concludes by suggesting incorporation of appropriate thermal comfort components and methods into effective solutions for improved building designs, lower energy demand, and a better indoor atmosphere. Keywords: Thermal Comfort, Passive Design, Residential Building, Mansehra City, Global Warming

Utilization of solar panels as lighting in Puncak Anabawa, Rokan Hulu, Riau

Puncak Anabawa is situated in Sialang Jaya Village, District Rambah, Kab. Rokan Hulu, Riau. The objective of this initiative is to enhance the tourism potential of Puncak Anabawa, positioning it as a preferred destination for tourists. One significant challenge faced by our partners is the lack of electricity and lighting sources at Puncak Anabawa, creating difficulties for tourists in finding essential services. To address this issue, we propose the use of solar panels as a sustainable source of electricity and lighting. The installed solar panels at Puncak Anabawa serve as an effective solution, providing power for visitors who come to camp or capture the scenic views at the peak. The execution of these activities involves site surveys, the assembly and installation of solar panels for lighting, and assistance with technology usage. Following the completion of these activities, the solar panels have been successfully installed and function as reliable lighting infrastructure at this tourist location.

The annealing setup and associated monitoring system of the ELIADE HPGe clover detectors at ELI-NP

We report a dedicated setup built in-house for the annealing of the HPGe clover detectors of the ELI-NP Array of DEtectors (ELIADE) γ-ray spectrometer, as well as the post-annealing testing of these detectors with the standard 60Co & 152Eu radioactive calibration sources employing conventional analog electronics. Both the design and assembly of the annealing setup were performed at the Extreme Light Infrastructure — Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) facility, Măgurele, Romania. A `radiation damage annealing assembly kit' (NRK-200 unit) from the detector manufacturer Canberra is utilized in heating and controlling the temperature of the Ge crystals of the annealed detector. The vacuum inside the detector was maintained throughout the annealing process by constantly pumping the system using a turbo-molecular pumping station. The temperature of the germanium crystals, located inside a vacuum sealed chamber, of the detector and the vacuum level of this chamber were monitored throughout the annealing process, via both in-person observation and remote (online) monitoring. The Graphic User Interface (GUI) of an underlying LabVIEW script was utilized for running the monitoring process of the temperature and vacuum pressure values via a local network. To have the option of real-time online monitoring of the temperature, vacuum pressure, we coupled the web application Grafana with the Influx DB of the annealing data, as well as the backup time information of an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) unit used in system.

X-ray spectroscopy station for sample characterization at ELI Beamlines

X-ray spectroscopy is a demanded tool across multiple user communities. Here we report on a new station for X-ray emission spectroscopy at the Extreme Light Infrastructure Beamlines Facility. The instrument utilizes the von Hamos geometry and works with a number of different sample types, notably including liquid systems. We demonstrate a simple and reliable method for source position control using two cameras. This approach addresses energy calibration dependence on sample position, which is a characteristic source of measurement uncertainty for wavelength dispersive spectrometers in XES arrangement. We also present a straightforward procedure for energy calibration of liquid and powder samples to a thin film reference. The developed instrumentation enabled us to perform the first experimental determination of the Kα lines of liquidized K3Fe(CN)6 as well as powdered and liquidized FeNH4(SO4)2. Finally, we report on proof-of-principle use of a colliding jet liquid sample delivery system in an XES experiment.

Neutron dose assessment in laser-generated ultra-short pulsed fields.

ELI Beamlines is one of the pillars of the Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ELI ERIC), the European project aiming at building the next generation of high power lasers for fundamental research and industrial applications. Several high-power lasers are hosted by the ELI Beamlines facility. Even at a power lower than the nominal one, when interacting with a target, the laser can generate mixed ionizing radiation fields of unique nature. One of the major laser systems, High-repetition-rate advanced petawatt laser system (HAPLS) was already used in commissioning experiments. Detecting the neutrons generated during these experiments has been a challenging task, since certain difficulties were faced. First, the experimental conditions were frequently altered during the commissioning phase (such as laser beam parameters, experimental geometry or target type). Next, the extremely short duration of the ionizing radiation pulse generated by the laser (~10-14s) complicated the correct interpretation of the data provided by the detectors designed and calibrated in standard fields. Here, one commissioning experiment is described, together with the means of addressing the problem of the detection of the ionizing radiation and the lessons learned in this endeavour.

Iris

We propose a novel Visible Light Positioning (VLP) method, called Iris, that leverages light spectral information (LSI) to localize individuals in a completely passive manner. This means that the user does not need to carry any device, and the existing lighting infrastructure remains unchanged. Our method uses a background subtraction approach to accurately detect changes in ambient LSI caused by human movement. Furthermore, we design a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) capable of learning and predicting user locations from the LSI change data. To validate our approach, we implemented a prototype of Iris using a commercial-off-the-shelf light spectral sensor and conducted experiments in two typical real-world indoor environments: a 25 m2 one-bedroom apartment and a 13.3m × 8.4m office space. Our results demonstrate that Iris performs effectively in both artificial lighting at night and in highly dynamic natural lighting conditions during the day. Moreover, Iris outperforms the state-of-the-art passive VLP techniques significantly in terms of localization accuracy and the required density of light sensors. To reduce the overhead associated with multi-channel spectral sensing, we develop and validate an algorithm that can minimize the required number of spectral channels for a given environment. Finally, we propose a conditional Generative Adversarial Network (cGAN) that can artificially generate LSI and reduce data collection effort by 50% without sacrificing localization accuracy.

Are Pedestrian Crashes Becoming More Severe? A Breakdown of Pedestrian Crashes in Urban Tennessee

Similar to the nationwide trend of declining pedestrian safety, pedestrian fatalities in Tennessee increased by 117 % between 2009 and 2019. During the same time, pedestrians involved in traffic crashes have only increased by 26 %, suggesting that the reason for the increased number of fatalities is that pedestrian crashes are becoming more severe. The media, and safety advocates speculate about the different scenarios that could be responsible for the decrease in pedestrian safety. Past studies have failed to integrate pedestrian involvement into their studies and confirm whether pedestrian crashes are becoming more severe. Our study collected all reported pedestrian crashes and their outcomes from crash data kept by the Tennessee police, thus providing fatality and involvement numbers. Excluding crashes on controlled access roads, we measured the pedestrian fatality rate (PFR) for essential variables for each year from 2009 to 2019. An upward PFR graph shows that pedestrian crashes are becoming more severe compared with the past. To substantiate our claims with adequate statistical significance, we employed separate Poisson regression models for the pedestrian fatality count and PFR associated with each attribute of pedestrian crashes. The results show that an increase in severity is linked with multilane urban arterials with speeds above 35 mph at midblock locations. The study results also confirm that cars are still the cause of the high fatality rate in Tennessee rather than sport utility vehicles or other large vehicles. We recommend that cities reduce design speeds to 35 mph, increase safe pedestrian crossing opportunities, and install more pedestrian-scale lighting infrastructure on urban arterials.

Indoor tracking for smart hospital by a hybrid visible light positioning system

<p class="Abstract">Modern hospital operations and management, i.e., smart hospitals, require pervasive system-wide wireless communication and positioning capabilities. Unfortunately, this cannot be entirely facilitated by existing radio frequency (RF) wireless technologies due to interference concerns in hospitals. We design and implemented a novel hybrid RF-free wireless tracking system utilizing combined visible light communication (VLC) and positioning (VLP), and powerline communication (PLC) technologies to enable future smart hospital operations. This VLC/VLP/PLC tracking system consists of host optical transceivers embedded in light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs and user-end photodetector (PD) optical tags, as well as backbone powerline interface, to form a ubiquitous wireless tracking and communication network connecting all people and equipment throughout all hospital buildings. The new indoor optical-based tracking system was validated via simulation and experiments. Being embedded into the existing LED lighting infrastructure, this hybrid VLC/VLP/PLC tracking system technology is accurate, ultralow cost and environment friendly. Smart hospitals will lead to efficient and affordable healthcare, a revolutionary solution in the human society.</p>

Full aperture backscatter diagnostics for characterization of laser plasma instabilities at the extreme light infrastructure (ELI) beamlines.

We report on the commissioning of a full aperture backscatter diagnostics station for the kilojoule, nanosecond high repetition rate L4n laser operating at a wavelength of 527nm at the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) - Beamlines, Dolni Brezany, Czech Republic. Light scattered back from laser-plasma interaction into the cone of the final focusing lens is captured and split into different channels to measure the signatures of laser plasma instabilities from stimulated Brillouin scattering, stimulated Raman scattering, and two plasmon decay with respect to back scattered energy, its spectrum, and its temporal profile. The performance was confirmed in a commissioning experiment with more than 800 shots at laser intensities ranging from 0.5 × 1013 to 1.1 × 1015Wcm-2. These diagnostics are permanently installed at ELI Beamlines, and can be used to understand the details of laser-plasma interactions in experiments with kJ and 527nm light. The large number of shots that can be collected in an experimental campaign will allow us to study the details of the laser-plasma interaction with a high level of confidence.

Analisa Kelayakan Finansial Investasi Sistem Pengisian Listrik Umum di Kecamatan Muara Jawa Kukar

Electricity has become basic need must be fulfilled for a better life in community, including public street lighting. Mainly those who live in the alleys and away from the main road. The responsibility for procurement, management and maintenance of Public Street Lighting infrastructure lies with the respective regional governments. However, the capability of each region to fulfil this need varies, as a result there are still areas that do not have adequate public street lighting. Researchers saw this need therefore initiate the establishment of public street lighting in collaboration with the community on an independent basis with PT PLN as the SPLU provider. SPLU lighting and multi-purpose services established to answer the needs of the community, namely the ease of getting electricity for adequate public street lighting in alleys that are not yet reached by PJU and to serve socio-cultural activities in the community. The purpose of this research is to support community need for public lighting without neglecting the feasibility of investment from perspective of finance using the parameters Net Present Value (NPV), Profitable Index as well as calculating the Payback Period (PP). By this research, with initial outlays Rp 49,236,400, this project was found that the NPV is Rp 827,856,656, PI 17.8 which means both positive. The investment cost can be returned/payback period after 4 months only. This means that investing in providing SPLU facilities in the area of Subdistrict Muara Jawa Kukar is feasible

Impact of Street Lighting Level on Floodlights

The article presents selected results of research related to the use of outdoor lighting, mainly street lighting, in the design of facility illumination. The indicated subject matter primarily concerns architectural structures that are located in urbanized city spaces and in the strict centers of old cities. It is in these areas that there is usually a significant saturation of historic secular and sacred buildings with significant tourist values. At the same time, the immediate surroundings of the structures are usually wrapped by a dense network of street lighting infrastructure. This illumination can be a major setback in the process of illumination planning. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the extent of this impact on the planned illumination work, related to the selection, mounting, and direction of illumination equipment. This is related to the distance of the street luminaires from the facade, the height of their installation, the distance of the poles from each other, the power of the street luminaires, and the luminous flux distribution of the luminaires used. The purpose of the work undertaken was to analyze the extent to which outdoor lighting influences the planned illumination of an architectural structure and to explore the possibility of its potential use as a component of illumination. Analytical work was conducted at two levels of detail using advanced graphical computer applications. After general considerations and the derivation of conclusions, an example of illumination of a large sacral building was realized successfully using the element of street lighting as a component of illumination.

Spatiotemporal variation characteristics analysis of infrastructure iron stock in China based on nighttime light data

Abstract Iron is one of the most important basic materials in infrastructure development, spatial and temporal variation characteristics analysis of infrastructure iron stocks is conducive to revealing its distribution and change patterns from different scales, which can provide a scientific basis for sustainable urban development and iron resource management in China. In this article, we first calculated provincial infrastructure iron stock data from 2000 to 2020. Then, fitting equations between nighttime lighting data and infrastructure iron stock are constructed to simulate the spatial distribution of China’s infrastructure iron stock at 500 m resolution from 2000 to 2020. Finally, the spatial and temporal dynamics of China’s infrastructure iron stock is analyzed from four scales: national, regional, provincial, and urban agglomeration. The results show as follows: (1) China’s infrastructure iron stock grew at an average annual rate of 26.42% from 2000 to 2020, with China’s infrastructure iron stock increasing 6.28 times over the 21 years. Construction facilities are the most important part of the infrastructure iron stock, and its share is still increasing. (2) On a regional scale, the high-growth type of infrastructure iron stock is mainly distributed in the eastern region, while the no-obvious-growth type is mainly distributed in the western region. The high grade of infrastructure iron stock is mainly distributed in the eastern region, while the low grade is mainly distributed in the western region. (3) On a provincial scale, the highest share of no-obvious-growth type of infrastructure iron stock is in Xinjiang. The highest proportion of infrastructure iron stock of high-growth type is in Jiangsu. The highest proportion of low-grade infrastructure iron stock is in Xinjiang. The highest proportion of infrastructure iron stock of high grade is in Beijing. (4) In terms of urban agglomerations, the high-growth type of infrastructure iron stock is mainly located in Shanghai–Nanjing–Hangzhou, while the no-obvious-growth type is mainly located in the Middle south of Liaoning. The high-grade infrastructure iron stock is mainly distributed in Shanghai–Nanjing–Hangzhou, while the low grade is mainly distributed in Sichuan–Chongqing.

Nuclear photonics: Laser-driven nuclear physics

High-power lasers can produce high-energy gamma rays, charged particles, and neutrons and induce various types of nuclear reactions. In Extreme Light Infrastructure Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP), Romania, high-power lasers are entering a new realm of 10 PW peak power, capable of obtaining a focused intensity of 1023 Wcm–2. Such an intense laser pulse will be used for studies relevant to nuclear physics, high-field physics, and quantum electrodynamics, or the combination of laser gamma experiments. Here, we describe how a laser is used to drive high-energy photons and accelerate electrons and protons. These particles can be used for secondary interactions in nuclear physics. Laser-driven nuclear physics can be a source of nuclear isomers for applications in medicine and astrophysics.