A portable light therapy device.

Thread Starter

Benny D

Joined Nov 5, 2015
2
Mod edit:
Please don't reply to a old thread close to 5 years ago.
Now you have your own.

This thread was split from -- Building a 'SAD' Light Therapy box.



I have recently built a portable light therapy device to help with my Seasonal Affective Disorder. One thing I learnt was that wavelength is important. Blue and greens (450nm - 550nm) are good for treating SAD, but just using white light without knowing how much blue/green is in there is a big no no. Using blue or green LED's with an output of about 300 lux (measured at the eye, not the light source!) is the way to go.

A couple of good references here:
https://www.flinders.edu.au/sabs/psychology/research/labs/sleep/bas.cfm
https://re-timer.com/blog/2015/04/17/green-red-white-or-blue-light-therapy/
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
I am trying to design a Light Therapy Box for the treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Some of the things I know about the ideal specs are as follows:

10,000 Lux, Full Spectrum Lighting, Low UV to prevent skin issues and such, As portable as possible, As inexpensive as possible without using cardboard, aluminum foil, ...etc.

I was trying to figure out if this project could be accomplished using super bright LEDs (because of their small size mostly) but I have not found any plans online that use this design. I have seen many commercial designs using blue or other colored lights but I am not sure if these actually meet the requirements or what... I honestly know very little about the ratings of lights, leds, and such and the information I have been able to find online doesn't seem to be clearing the fog very well.

I am hoping for some input on this project from some of you who may have more experience with this type of thing, or know about lux/lumens/color spectrums, etc...

Thanks!
Eric
Pretty sure Elektor magazines published a project a couple of years ago.

AFAICR: it was pretty much a panel of bog standard blue LEDs.
 

recklessrog

Joined May 23, 2013
985
There was one that I saw on sale in France. It contained 4 Phillips "North light" bulbs as used by artists etc, these have a specific spectrum that matches the light from the northern sky. The diffuser looked like a sheet of frosted glass.
I built a U.V box for exposing photo etch pcb's, I used a piece of the plastic that sits in front of the flourescent tube or led's in lcd tv's as the diffuser with only a piece of 4mm clear glass on top. This attenuated the U.V less than frosted glass. So use thicker frosted, (acid etched) glass if u want to block the U.V.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
There was one that I saw on sale in France. It contained 4 Phillips "North light" bulbs as used by artists etc, these have a specific spectrum that matches the light from the northern sky. The diffuser looked like a sheet of frosted glass.
I built a U.V box for exposing photo etch pcb's, I used a piece of the plastic that sits in front of the flourescent tube or led's in lcd tv's as the diffuser with only a piece of 4mm clear glass on top. This attenuated the U.V less than frosted glass. So use thicker frosted, (acid etched) glass if u want to block the U.V.
I'd shy away from any kind of discharge tubes - even sunbed tubes require filter goggle eye protection.

You can now get UV LEDs - and they come with an eye safety warning!
 

recklessrog

Joined May 23, 2013
985
Quite often; things sold by Maplin are not fit for purpose.
Their sad lights seem to be the same as a lot of other suppliers, reviews are mixed, with about 50/50 as to whether they actually do any good. Probably do better to take a short winter holiday to somewhere sunny!
 
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