This research proposal is for the development, fabrication and preliminary evaluation of an experimental wearable, ‘pentachromic’ circadian light tracker prototype. By doing so, it would then be possible to record ‘pentachromic’ circadian illuminance indicators for a building’s occupant’s lighting environment alongside responses to intermittent polling targeting information a user’s alertness, cognitive function, psychological state-of mind – or other psychophysiological effects associated with lighting’s influence on circadian rhythms. Potential applications for such a device may include Perkins+Will project post-occupancy evaluations, intra-office occupant studies, research experiments – or simply as an personal aid for helping a user track and quantify how lighting conditions in their environment may impact their personal health, wellness, and performance. Further, the availability of a ‘pentachromic’ circadian light tracker prototype would also have multiple enduring, cumulative benefits for Perkins+Will design projects and research, as well as an even broader set of stakeholders.
