The Impact of Lighting Fluctuations on Anthropological Aspects

Intermittent lighting pulsations in a certain frequency spectrum are known to cause various side effects, varying from mild annoyance to a potential health hazard. Several groups of people can be sensible to not only visible but also invisible flicker. At present moment, in most jurisdictions, the use of incandescent light bulbs is curtailed or even prohibited as the technology no longer meets energy efficiency standards, as a result, they are replaced by other types of electric bulbs. State-of-the art lighting technology requires auxiliary device in the form of electrical ballast or switch-mode power supply for a proper operation. Harmonics and interharmonics are known to cause malfunctions in power supply devices and under certain circumstances this can lead to light flicker. This paper presents an overview of the previous research works in the field as well as analysis of the visual light fluctuations in electric bulbs and further recommendations for lighting systems designers.