Shining Light on Dark Alleys

Apr-16-14 A new panel designed to shine light into dark, narrow alleys could literally bring some sunshine to the people who work and live in these tight, dim areas.

Narrow alleys are common work and living zones in urban environments, and will become even more common as population pressure increases. To bring some relief and comfort to the people who frequent these dark spaces, Egyptian researchers created a translucent, corrugated panel able to capture sunlight from many angles. The panels are mounted on rooftops and hang over the edge at a downward slope, allowing the material to capture the light and release it at the panel's edge and into the alley.

In computer simulations, the panels were shown to increase the light in the alleyways by 200 percent in the fall and 400 percent in winter. A small prototype has also been developed and successfully tested, and lead scientist Prof. Amr Safwat plans to test a larger panel on an actual alley soon.

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[GIZMAG.COM]
[OPTICAL SOCIETYO]

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