Evaluating Human Photoreceptoral Inputs from Night-Time Lights Using RGB Imaging Photometry
Night-time lights interact with human physiology through different pathways starting at the retinal layers of the eye; from the signals provided by the rods; the S-, L- and M-cones; and the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC). These individual photic channels combine in compl...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Imaging |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-433X/5/4/49 |
| _version_ | 1811233809895522304 |
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| author | Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel Salvador Bará Martin Aubé Nicolás Cardiel Carlos E. Tapia Jaime Zamorano Kevin J. Gaston |
| author_facet | Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel Salvador Bará Martin Aubé Nicolás Cardiel Carlos E. Tapia Jaime Zamorano Kevin J. Gaston |
| author_sort | Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Night-time lights interact with human physiology through different pathways starting at the retinal layers of the eye; from the signals provided by the rods; the S-, L- and M-cones; and the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC). These individual photic channels combine in complex ways to modulate important physiological processes, among them the daily entrainment of the neural master oscillator that regulates circadian rhythms. Evaluating the relative excitation of each type of photoreceptor generally requires full knowledge of the spectral power distribution of the incoming light, information that is not easily available in many practical applications. One such instance is wide area sensing of public outdoor lighting; present-day radiometers onboard Earth-orbiting platforms with sufficient nighttime sensitivity are generally panchromatic and lack the required spectral discrimination capacity. In this paper, we show that RGB imagery acquired with off-the-shelf digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) can be a useful tool to evaluate, with reasonable accuracy and high angular resolution, the photoreceptoral inputs associated with a wide range of lamp technologies. The method is based on linear regressions of these inputs against optimum combinations of the associated R, G, and B signals, built for a large set of artificial light sources by means of synthetic photometry. Given the widespread use of RGB imaging devices, this approach is expected to facilitate the monitoring of the physiological effects of light pollution, from ground and space alike, using standard imaging technology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:25:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a85b21c7092f4026a96bd2757975a1cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2313-433X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:25:44Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Imaging |
| spelling | doaj.art-a85b21c7092f4026a96bd2757975a1cc2022-12-22T03:35:14ZengMDPI AGJournal of Imaging2313-433X2019-04-01544910.3390/jimaging5040049jimaging5040049Evaluating Human Photoreceptoral Inputs from Night-Time Lights Using RGB Imaging PhotometryAlejandro Sánchez de Miguel0Salvador Bará1Martin Aubé2Nicolás Cardiel3Carlos E. Tapia4Jaime Zamorano5Kevin J. Gaston6Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UKDepartamento de Física Aplicada, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, SpainPhysics Department, CEGEP de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1E 4K1, CanadaDepartamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Instituto de Física de Partículas y del Cosmos (IPARCOS), Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Instituto de Física de Partículas y del Cosmos (IPARCOS), Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Instituto de Física de Partículas y del Cosmos (IPARCOS), Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, SpainEnvironment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UKNight-time lights interact with human physiology through different pathways starting at the retinal layers of the eye; from the signals provided by the rods; the S-, L- and M-cones; and the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC). These individual photic channels combine in complex ways to modulate important physiological processes, among them the daily entrainment of the neural master oscillator that regulates circadian rhythms. Evaluating the relative excitation of each type of photoreceptor generally requires full knowledge of the spectral power distribution of the incoming light, information that is not easily available in many practical applications. One such instance is wide area sensing of public outdoor lighting; present-day radiometers onboard Earth-orbiting platforms with sufficient nighttime sensitivity are generally panchromatic and lack the required spectral discrimination capacity. In this paper, we show that RGB imagery acquired with off-the-shelf digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) can be a useful tool to evaluate, with reasonable accuracy and high angular resolution, the photoreceptoral inputs associated with a wide range of lamp technologies. The method is based on linear regressions of these inputs against optimum combinations of the associated R, G, and B signals, built for a large set of artificial light sources by means of synthetic photometry. Given the widespread use of RGB imaging devices, this approach is expected to facilitate the monitoring of the physiological effects of light pollution, from ground and space alike, using standard imaging technology.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-433X/5/4/49light pollutionimagingartificial light at nightnight-time lightsDSLR camerasRGB sensorsnon-visual effects of lightcircadian phototransduction |
| spellingShingle | Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel Salvador Bará Martin Aubé Nicolás Cardiel Carlos E. Tapia Jaime Zamorano Kevin J. Gaston Evaluating Human Photoreceptoral Inputs from Night-Time Lights Using RGB Imaging Photometry Journal of Imaging light pollution imaging artificial light at night night-time lights DSLR cameras RGB sensors non-visual effects of light circadian phototransduction |
| title | Evaluating Human Photoreceptoral Inputs from Night-Time Lights Using RGB Imaging Photometry |
| title_full | Evaluating Human Photoreceptoral Inputs from Night-Time Lights Using RGB Imaging Photometry |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating Human Photoreceptoral Inputs from Night-Time Lights Using RGB Imaging Photometry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating Human Photoreceptoral Inputs from Night-Time Lights Using RGB Imaging Photometry |
| title_short | Evaluating Human Photoreceptoral Inputs from Night-Time Lights Using RGB Imaging Photometry |
| title_sort | evaluating human photoreceptoral inputs from night time lights using rgb imaging photometry |
| topic | light pollution imaging artificial light at night night-time lights DSLR cameras RGB sensors non-visual effects of light circadian phototransduction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-433X/5/4/49 |
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