Search Results (34)

Existing nighttime visibility enhancement methods primarily focus on improving overall brightness under low-light conditions. However, nighttime road images are also affected by glare, glow, and flare from complex light sources such as streetlights and headlights, making it challenging to suppress locally overexposed regions and recover fine details. To address these challenges, we propose a Nighttime Road Glare Suppression Network (NRGS-Net) for glare removal and detail restoration. Specifically, to handle diverse glare disturbances caused by the uncertainty in light source positions and shapes, we designed a gated positional attention (GPA) module that integrates positional encoding with local contextual information to guide the network in accurately locating and suppressing glare regions, thereby enhancing the visibility of affected areas. Furthermore, we introduced an improved Uformer backbone named LCAtransformer, in which the downsampling layers adopt efficient depthwise separable convolutions to reduce computational cost while preserving critical spatial information. The upsampling layers incorporate a residual PixelShuffle module to achieve effective restoration in glare-affected regions. Additionally, channel attention is introduced within the Local Context-Aware Feed-Forward Network (LCA-FFN) to enable adaptive adjustment of feature weights, effectively suppressing irrelevant and interfering features. To advance the research in nighttime glare suppression, we constructed and publicly released the Night Road Glare Dataset (NRGD) captured in real nighttime road scenarios, enriching the evaluation system for this task. Experiments conducted on the Flare7K++ and NRGD, using five evaluation metrics and comparing six state-of-the-art methods, demonstrate that our method achieves superior performance in both subjective and objective metrics compared to existing advanced methods. Full article

University classrooms, core to higher education, have indoor light environments that directly affect students’ learning efficiency, visual health, and psychological states. This study integrates parametric optical simulation and virtual reality (VR) to explore light environment perception in ordinary university classrooms. Forty college students (18–25 years, ~1:1 gender ratio) participated in real virtual comparative experiments. VR scenarios were optimized via real-time rendering and physical calibration. The results showed no significant differences in subjects’ perception evaluations between environments (p > 0.05), verifying virtual environments as effective experimental carriers. The analysis of eight virtual conditions (varying window-to-wall ratios and lighting methods) revealed that mixed lighting performed best in light perception, spatial perception, and overall evaluation. Light perception had the greatest influence on overall evaluation (0.905), with glare as the core factor (0.68); closure sense contributed most to spatial perception (0.45). Structural equation modeling showed that window-to-wall ratio and lighting power density positively correlated with subjective evaluations. Window-to-wall ratio had a 0.412 direct effect on spatial perception and a 0.84 total mediating effect (67.1% of total effect), exceeding the lighting power density’s 0.57 mediating effect sum. This study confirms mixed lighting and window-to-wall ratio optimization as keys to improving classroom light quality, providing an experimental paradigm and parameter basis for user-perception-oriented design. Full article

With the rapid advancement of urbanization in China, the demand for community-based elderly care facilities (CECFs) has been increasing. One pressing challenge is the question of how to provide CECFs that not only meet the health needs of the elderly but also make efficient use of limited urban land resources. This study addresses this issue by adopting an integrated multi-method research framework that combines multi-objective optimization (MOO) algorithms, Spearman rank correlation analysis, ensemble learning methods (Random Forest combined with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), where SHAP enhances the interpretability of ensemble models), and Self-Organizing Map (SOM) neural networks. This framework is employed to identify optimal building configurations and to examine how different architectural parameters influence key daylight performance indicators—Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) and Daylight Factor (DF). Results indicate that when UDI and DF meet the comfort thresholds for elderly users, the minimum building area can be controlled to as little as 351 m² and can achieve a balance between natural lighting and spatial efficiency. This ensures sufficient indoor daylight while mitigating excessive glare that could impair elderly vision. Significant correlations are observed between spatial form and daylight performance, with factors such as window-to-wall ratio (WWR) and wall thickness (WT) playing crucial roles. Specifically, wall thickness affects indoor daylight distribution by altering window depth and shading. Moreover, the ensemble learning models combined with SHAP analysis uncover nonlinear relationships between various architectural parameters and daylight performance. In addition, a decision support method based on SOM is proposed to replace the subjective decision-making process commonly found in traditional optimization frameworks. This method enables the visualization of a large Pareto solution set in a two-dimensional space, facilitating more informed and rational design decisions. Finally, the findings are translated into a set of practical design strategies for application in real-world projects. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the static and dynamic pupil changes, and light sensitivity following a single dose of low-dose atropine at concentrations of 0.01%, 0.025%, and 0.05% over a 24 h period. Healthy young adults (20–22 years; n = 25) participated in this randomized, double-blind study. Each participant received one of three atropine concentrations in a masked fashion. Baseline mesopic and dynamic pupil sizes were measured at various post-instillation intervals (5 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, and 24 h). A minimum 48 h washout period was observed between treatments. Subjective light sensitivity was assessed using the Visual Light Sensitivity Questionnaire (VLSQ-8) at 24 h. All atropine concentrations caused significant pupil dilation (p < 0.001), with the 0.05% concentration producing the greatest dilation (peak mesopic size: 7.4 mm, p < 0.001) and the slowest recovery at 24 h (6.4 mm, p < 0.001). The dynamic pupil constriction range was most restricted with 0.05% (1.7 mm, p < 0.05), compared to 0.025% (2.2 mm) and 0.01% (2.6 mm). Subjective symptoms, including light sensitivity and glare, followed a dose-dependent pattern (p < 0.05). In 60% participants, 0.05% caused the most symptoms, while in 70% participants, 0.01% caused the least. Despite significant pupil dilation, the pupil center coordinates did not shift significantly along the horizontal or vertical axes (p > 0.05). Low-dose atropine induced dose-dependent pupil dilation and light sensitivity; 0.05% atropine caused the most pronounced effects. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring the atropine dosage to balance its efficacy and tolerability. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term impact of repeated dosing on pupillary behavior and subjective symptoms. Full article

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions on face-to-face interaction, digital communication methods have undergone unprecedented breakthroughs, especially in the realm of higher education. The glaring differences between face-to-face seminars and the physical distance of participants in online seminars raise questions about the meaning of embodied presence of subjects in various formats. The understanding of body and lived body is often based on a dichotomous interpretation, in which the body-as-object is instrumentally subordinated to the mind. To revalorize the body, recent theories of education and Bildung-theoretical approaches, in particular, emphasize not only discursive, but also embodied, practices and increasingly focus on the potential of the body-as-subject as a medium for the subjective configuration of interactive situations. As the embodied perspective poses different challenges for qualitative research, it seems appropriate to validate the methodological approach. Utilizing a three-step method, we provide a phenomenological heuristic strategy through which our instrument underwent critical and intersubjective reflection. Ideally, subsequent research endeavors can expand upon and refine this methodology to further explore the concepts of embodiment and embodied presence in higher education. Full article

Lutein (Lut) and zeaxanthin (Zeax) are found in the blood and are deposited in the retina (macular pigment). Both are found in the diet in free form and esterified with fatty acids. A high intake and/or status is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, especially eye diseases. There is a large global demand for Lut in the dietary supplement market, with marigold flowers being the main source, mainly as lutein esters. As the bioavailability of Lut from free or ester forms is controversial, our aim was to assess the bioavailability of Lut (free vs. ester) and visual contrast threshold (CT). Twenty-four healthy subjects (twelve women, twelve men), aged 20–35 and 50–65 years, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study to consume 6 mg lutein/day from marigold extract (free vs. ester) for two months. Blood samples were taken at baseline and after 15, 40, and 60 days in each period. Serum Lut and Zeax were analysed using HPLC, and dietary intake was determined with a 7-day food record at the beginning of each period. CT, with and without glare, was at 0 and 60 days at three levels of visual angle. Lut + Zeax intake at baseline was 1.9 mg/day, and serum lutein was 0.36 µmol/L. Serum lutein increased 2.4-fold on day 15 (up to 0.81 and 0.90 µmol/L with free and ester lutein, respectively) and was maintained until the end of the study. Serum Zeax increased 1.7-fold. There were no differences in serum Lut responses to free or ester lutein at any time point. CT responses to lutein supplementation (free vs. ester) were not different at any time point. CT correlated with Lut under glare conditions, and better correlations were obtained at low frequencies in the whole group due to the older group. The highest correlations occurred between CT at high frequency and with glare with serum Lut and Lut + Zeax. Only in the older group were inverse correlations found at baseline at a high frequency with L + Z and with Lut/cholesterol and at a low frequency with Lut/cholesterol. In conclusion, daily supplementation with Lut for 15 days significantly increases serum Lut in normolipemic adults to levels associated with a reduced risk of age-related eye disease regardless of the chemical form of lutein supplied. Longer supplementation, up to two months, does not significantly alter the concentration achieved but may contribute to an increase in macular pigment (a long-term marker of lutein status) and thus improve the effect on visual outcomes. Full article

Distinguished from conventional lighting, the LED vertical surface light source (VSLS) is directly exposed to human view, and the effects of which form it takes on visual perception are non-negligible. In the current discomfort glare evaluation system, the solid angle and the position index, which represent the relative relation between the glaring light source and human visual field, are not completely applicable for large-area VSLS, and hence are awaiting supplementation and modification. In this study, a physical experimental setup was established to conduct an evaluation experiment on discomfort glare, employing an LED display and white translucent frosted film to simulate vertical surface light sources (VSLS). The experiments were arranged with 21 VSLS shapes (comprising 3 areas and 7 length-to-width ratios) and 11 mounting positions. Subjective ratings and four eye-movement data parameters—namely, the change rate of pupil diameter (CRPD), mean saccadic amplitude (SA), blinking frequency (BF), and saccadic speed (SS)—were collected from 24 participants under each working condition using the Boyce Evaluation Scale and eye tracking techniques. The main results of this study are the following: (a) CRPD is the most appropriate eye-movement index for characterizing VSLS glare perception; (b) The area of the VSLS is the primary shape element influencing discomfort glare. Furthermore, with the same surface area, the lateral view angle (LaVA) and the longitudinal view angle (LoVA) perceived by the human eye also impact glare perception; (c) A functional equation between the VSLS area, LaVA, and LoVA to the borderline luminance between comfort and discomfort (BCD luminance) is fitted; (d) Based on the eccentric angle and the azimuthal angle, a modified position index P’ is proposed to represent the relative position of the VSLS in the visual field, and the ratio function of BCD luminance of the VSLS at non-central positions and the central position is fitted. Full article

Spatial aspects of visual performance are usually evaluated through visual acuity charts and contrast sensitivity (CS) tests. CS tests are generated by vanishing the contrast level of the visual charts. However, the quality of retinal images can be affected by both ocular aberrations and scattering effects and none of those factors are incorporated as parameters in visual tests in clinical practice. We propose a new computational methodology to generate visual acuity charts affected by ocular scattering effects. The generation of glare effects on the visual tests is reached by combining an ocular straylight meter methodology with the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage’s (CIE) general disability glare formula. A new function for retinal contrast assessment is proposed, the subjective straylight function (SSF), which provides the maximum tolerance to the perception of straylight in an observed visual acuity test. Once the SSF is obtained, the subjective straylight index (SSI) is defined as the area under the SSF curve. Results report the normal values of the SSI in a population of 30 young healthy subjects (19 ± 1 years old), a peak centered at SSI = 0.46 of a normal distribution was found. SSI was also evaluated as a function of both spatial and temporal aspects of vision. Ocular wavefront measures revealed a statistical correlation of the SSI with defocus and trefoil terms. In addition, the time recovery (TR) after induced total disability glare and the SSI were related; in particular, the higher the RT, the greater the SSI value for high- and mid-contrast levels of the visual test. No relationships were found for low contrast visual targets. To conclude, a new computational method for retinal contrast assessment as a function of ocular straylight was proposed as a complementary subjective test for visual function performance. Full article

Sustainable development and energy savings are crucial to the significant worldwide trend in smart city-related research and projects. In this regard, public lighting systems have great energy-saving potential. Nevertheless, while citizen engagement is a key element of most conceptualisations of smart cities, many smart lighting projects and systems fail to take account of the citizen’s viewpoint. Applying a citizen-centric lighting design model, the objective of this study is to examine the affective impressions of local residents of the luminous environments in their areas, taking account of the activities they carry out there. Kansei Engineering is employed to connect luminous design elements with citizens’ affective responses. Lighting environments in 18 urban spaces were evaluated by 310 local residents. The results show that subjective assessments in the evaluation of urban lighting environments can be explained by the following dimensions: Expressive-interesting, Innovative-efficient, Defined-sufficient, Formal-uniform and Glaring. The relationship of these dimensions to urban social activities shows that public lighting should generate, in local residents, sensations consistent with the nature of the activities. Urban lighting must create in the citizen a feeling of innovation (being up-to-date and contemporary) if it is to be seen as energy-saving and caring for the environment. These findings may be valuable for governments, architects, engineers, and lighting designers when developing strategies to ensure their designs are evaluated as being efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Full article

Glare is a kind of physiological phenomenon that influences occupants’ visual comfort. Discomfort glare scenes in comparison to other levels of glare have been difficult to estimate and need accurate and reliable metrics. In contemporary architecture, the glass façade is so popular since it can remarkably minimize energy consumption in buildings and maximize daylight utilization as a natural energy. However, it is necessary to consider occupants’ visual discomfort due to the daylighting glare risks during the initial stage of design. Since the measured glare metrics should have an acceptable correlation with the human subject data study, the agreement on the glare indices is complicated. This paper presents a comparison between subjective and simulation-based analysis of discomfort glare metrics in offices with a light shelf system. The discomfort glare metrics considered in this study include Daylight Glare Index (DGI), CIE Glare Index (CGI), Visual Comfort Probability (VCP), Unified Glare Rating (UGR), and Daylight Glare Probability (DGP). The parallel comparison was conducted by using simulation and questionnaire surveys to determine which criteria are more useful under different conditions. According to the findings, DGP yields the most reliable results in different levels of glare based on the subjective analysis and VCP has the lowest accuracy in each stage. UGR also has the highest accuracy rate for evaluating perceptible glare, DGI is applicable for assessing imperceptible glare, and CGI can be an acceptable index for approximating intolerable glare. The study results significantly reduce the complexity of the problem and can provide useful guidance for designers to select the most reliable glare metric based on climatic conditions. Full article

This paper interrogates the changing paradigm in the evolution of traditional African proverbs in the postcolonial setting in which Hausa youth create proverbs centered around the power of both social media and their technologies. In this context, the notion of colonized subjects, cowering under the glare of English linguistic imperialism, is challenged by the Hausa youth through newly fabricated social media proverbs that acknowledge English terms, but use social media platforms to convey what I call ‘Hausa technofolk’ philosophy. This provides insight into how contemporary African youth force a new narrative in the notion of coloniality. Full article

It is widely acknowledged that the quality of greenway landscape resources enhances the visual appeal of people. While most studies have evaluated visual perception and preference, few have considered the relationship between the distribution of greenways in relation to the proximity of water bodies such as lakes and rivers. Such an investigation requires an in-depth analysis of how to plan and design greenways in order to better enhance people’s willingness to access and utilize them. In this research we propose specific color brightness and contour visual attraction elements to further discuss the quality of greenway landscape resources in the rapidly urbanizing Lake Taihu region of China. Specifically, we utilize a common method in fractal theory analysis called counting box dimension to calculate and analyze the sample images. The method generates data on fractal dimension (FD) values of two elements; the optimal fractal dimension threshold range; the characteristics exhibited by the maximum and minimum fractal dimension values in the greenway landscape; and the relationship between the two visual attraction elements allowing us to derive distribution of the greenway and water bodies. The results reveal that greenway segments with high values of the visual attraction element of color brightness fractal dimension (FD) are significantly closer to the lake than those subject to high values of the visual attraction element. Some segments are even close to the lake surface, which is because the glare from the direct sunlight and the reflection from the lake surface superimposed on each other, so that the greenway near the lake surface is also affected by the brightness and shows the result of high color brightness values. However, the greenway segments with high values of contour element FD are clearly more influenced by plants and other landscape elements. This is due to the rich self-similarity of the plants themselves. Most of the greenway segments dominated by contour elements are distant from the lake surface. Both color brightness and contour elements are important indicators of the quality of the visual resources of the Lake Taihu Greenway landscape. This reveals that the determination of the sub-dimensional values of color brightness (1.7608, 1.9337) and contour (1.7230, 1.9006) visual attraction elements and the optimal threshold range (1.7608, 1.9006) can provide theoretical implications for the landscape planning and design of lake-ring type greenways and practical implications for assessing the quality of visual resources in greenway landscapes. Full article

The impact performance and compression after impact characteristics of 2D and 3D fiber metal laminates (FMLs) are investigated both experimentally and numerically. Commercial-grade GLARE3A-3/2-0.3, and a recently developed FML, which incorporates a unique 3D glass fabric, are used in the study. Both FMLs have similar areal densities. The specimens are subjected to impact loading at three energy levels—low, intermediate, and high. The test results indicate that GLARE is slightly more resilient under impact compared to the 3DFML. However, since GLARE is much thinner than the 3DFML, the two-material systems exhibit very different failure modes. GLARE and 3DFML lost up to 62.6% and 41.5% of their original compressive load-bearing capacity, respectively. Robust and accurate finite element models are developed that can predict the damage evolution and failure modes of both FMLs. Knowing the level of reduction in the residual load-bearing capacity of a material resulting from an impact is of practical importance when assessing the service life of materials. However, further exploration would be required to determine how the information obtained through testing relatively small-sized specimens in a laboratory environment can be extrapolated to larger real-life structural components. Full article

Saudi Arabian urban roads and highways have witnessed a large number of traffic crashes. Road lighting is one of the most important factors influencing drivers’ safety during the nighttime. Street-lighting design (e.g., spacing and height), visibility (e.g., lane marking and oncoming vehicles), and drivers’ satisfaction (e.g., glare effect on eyes and overall ambiance) are primary criteria affecting the performance of an urban street-lighting system (USLS). The present study presents a methodology for the performance appraisal of USLS in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire survey was developed to obtain drivers’ opinions on nine sub-criteria (three under each primary criterion). The responses were translated into a five-scale subjective rating system from very low to very high. Fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) effectively aggregated the statistically diverse (p-value < 0.001) responses obtained on the three primary criteria. The study found that electronic billboards’ positioning, oncoming vehicle lights, and poor lighting in the course of bad weather (mainly dust) are mainly affecting the performance of USLS in the view of road users. The performance levels ranged between “medium” and “high”, with no criteria or sub-criteria achieving a “very high” level, suggesting a need for upgrades, such as conversion to LED lights and smart lighting control systems. The proposed methodology benefits the transportation ministries to identify lacking components of USLSs in different regions of Saudi Arabia. The methodology provides the opportunity to include additional or site-specific factors for appraising the performance of USLS before (during planning and design) or after the implementation of improvement actions. Full article

Background: It is well-known that non-pathological axial myopic eyes present physiological and functional differences in comparison with emmetropic eyes due to altered retinal anatomy. Photostress tests have shown very significant capabilities to discriminate a normal retina from an abnormal retina. Accordingly, the aim of this work was to investigate the differences between myopic and emmetropic eyes in the measured photostress recovery time (PSRT) after retinal light-flashing in a population of young healthy subjects. Methods: A coaxial illumination total disability glare instrument was employed to measure the recovery time after photostress was induced by a 240 milliseconds flash-lighting (535 nm) exposure on 66 myopic and 66 emmetropic eyes. The measurements were carried out for different combinations of glare angles and contrasts of the visual stimuli. Results: In general terms, PSRT in myopic eyes was found at a statistically higher than in emmetropic eyes (Bonferroni correction). For both groups, the measured recovery strongly depends on the contrast of the test object used to measure baseline recovery function and markedly less on the source of glare angles explored. When the PSRTs obtained for different glare angles are averaged, the differences between PSRTs drastically increase with the reduction in the contrast of the stimuli between both groups of study. Conclusions: PSRT is higher for myopic than for young healthy emmetropic eyes (1.2 s and 0.2 s for 5% and 100% contrast test object, respectively). Though seemingly small, the magnitude of this finding can be relevant when flash-lighting happens while driving a car or while performing actions where the reaction time after a visual stimulus can be critical. Full article