Evaluating Effectiveness of Led\rand Oled Lights on User Visual\rcomfort and Reading Performance

Abstract

In interior architecture, one of the main purposes of light is to create comfort-\rable and functional spaces according to user needs. Light provides individuals to\runderstand, get information for visual tasks and it affects how they experience\rand behave in the environment. Desired illuminance levels are required for visual\rcomfort and task efficiency. This study analyzes the effects of different illuminance\rlevels of light emitting diode (LED) and organic light emitting diodie (OLED)\rlights on user visual comfort and reading performance. An experiment was con-\rducted with eighty interior architecture students at Çankaya University. Six light-\ring scenarios were created with LED and OLED lighting sources that assessed\rsix visual comfort criteria. The experimental setting consisted of three different\rilluminance levels, as 200, 500 and 800 lx. The results revealed that different illu-\rminance levels were found more comfortable for different visual comfort criteria,\rbut the illuminance level of 500 lx was visually more comfortable than the other il-\rluminance levels. The illuminance level of LED 200 lx was visually more comfort-\rable than LED 800 lx. OLED light was found visually more comfortable than LED\rlight. In addition, participants read slower under the illuminance level of LED\r200 lx. It was concluded that illuminance levels of light effect user’s visual comfort\rand reading performance. This study provides a basis to recommend the preferred\rilluminance level for LED and OLED light during a reading performance.