sensory lighting

[gavin.sibley]

Hello all,

I have been asked to design and install a specialist lighting system into a bedroom that will be used for a child with autism, having never done this before, but relishing the thought of a challenge, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions/precious experience in this field?

So far I have floated fibre optics in the ceiling and also a bubble tube colour changing unit (like a lava lamp)


Thanks for your help,
Gavin

 

[tazz]

your on the right idea.....need changing colours and patterns, with the idea of keeping the child occupied....could try rgb mood lighting, led colour changing lights, sounds a great worthwhile project, with a great outcome if you get it right.....wish you luck M8

 

[gavin.sibley]

Cheers mate, is this the sort of thing you've done before? If you have, got any photos too hand? Haha

 

[tazz]

No but work for a lot of nursing homes, which look after disabled as well as elderly....and have seen the using disco lighting to stimulate young patients...slow moving coloured patterned lighting seems to be the answer...not strobed or fast moving

 

[gavin.sibley]

Aah ok that gives me something to think about, thanks for your input!

 

[tazz]

They tend to walls and ceilings to focus coloured patterns....this becomes the focal points

 

[gavin.sibley]

I was thinking of possibly putting a dropped panel into the ceiling, so then I could load all the fixtures above it, colour/mood changing lighting going out to the sides of the ceiling, with the fibre optics coming through the dropped ceiling itself, if that makes sense?

 

[tazz]

yes does make sense...but you need varied patterns, not just colour changing lights.....most of the homes I have seen just use slow moving disco lights, projected on walls and ceilings.....This i believe gives stimulation, now Im no expert...but will asked for more info on my rounds

 

[gavin.sibley]

Ok that would be great cheers mate! So maybe if there was, for example, colour changing lights around the edge that would project coloured lights onto the ceiling, but that could be dmxed to do 'chases' (albeit slow ones) around the ceiling, that way you would get colour and patterns?

 

[geordie]

Look for unit like oil projectors water effect lights

 

[tazz]

Thats the sort of thing Georgie......colours and patterns, just made a call, and believe every patient is different, but slow colours with patterens is the answer, they buy simple cheap disco lights from Maplin electronics, they just plug in and set speed to slow moving patterns on the ceiling, while patient is in the bed, or wall while patient is sitting up.....hope this gives you some ideas

 

[gavin.sibley]

Ye that's brill thanks very much for both your inputs never thought I would say this but it might be time for a trip to maplins! (Atleast for some ideas anyway!) sounds like a suitable solution for what they want, and from previous experience (used to do a lot of work with sound and lighting systems in clubs and pubs) shouldn't be too expensive

 

[geordie]

Check out these guys http://www.premier-solutions.biz