PhD in visual appraisal, mental restoration and invigoration

Are you fascinated by how indoor environmental light scenes color our experience and mental state?

Department(s)

Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences

Reference number

V39.5185

The Department of Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences of Eindhoven University of Technology has a PhD training position in intelligent, human-centric lighting in the Human Technology Interaction (HTI) group, to work in the multidisciplinary IntelLight+ project.

Research has established that human physiology and psychology are highly affected by work and living conditions, and may contribute to health conditions such as stress, burnout and depression. In particular, light is an environmental factor that can directly and indirectly impact health and vitality through processes acting on sleep/wake efficiency, arousal and alertness, as well as comfort and visual interest. Current insights in non-visual, non-image forming (NIF) mechanisms dictate that high (blue-enhanced) illuminance levels at the eye are needed to establish a strong light-dark signal to the circadian clock and associated good sleep. However, from the perspective of the image-forming (IF) pathway, these high illuminance levels challenge visual comfort and user acceptance. At the same time, recent studies suggest that ambient luminance levels and distributions can – via traditional visual mechanisms - affect attention, visual interest, alertness, and relaxation. The question that emerges is whether these positive psychological effects, driven by spatial and temporal dynamics of illumination —such as the complexity of the spatial light distribution or the speed of changes in light levels—, could be used to increase the user acceptance of lighting solutions aimed to promote NIF alertness-enhancing effects, and to contribute to occupant comfort, health, and wellbeing.

PhD position: Spreading the light -- Understanding visual appraisal, mental restoration and invigoration as a function of light distribution

The current project aims to address this question by assessing the influence of the spatial and temporal distribution of light on visual appraisals (comfort, sensation and acceptance), mental restoration (mood, stress) and invigoration (vitality and alertness). The challenge that lies ahead is the creation of highly engaging, bright, and visually comfortable lit environments, which are also thoughtful of today’s sustainability demands. During this project, we will integrate knowledge and methods from research on perception, psychology, chronobiology, lighting, and psychophysiology. Focusing on image forming processing, we will measure objective (e.g., physiology) and subjective (e.g., fascination) indicators, and make use of simulations (virtual reality) as well as real conditions to come to understand better the effects of spatial and temporal light distribution and their underlying processes. The ambition of this project is to advance the development of healthy lighting scenarios and light design guidelines to maximally benefit human functioning, ensuring both restorative effects and high visual comfort and satisfaction.

The HTI group is seeking an enthusiastic, ambitious young researcher to work in this team on the topic of light(ing) conditions, comfort, alertness, and stress recovery. The tasks of the PhD student will be to set up and conduct a series of studies (laboratory and field studies) integrating insights from environmental psychology and lighting research, to write scientific articles, and to complete a PhD dissertation within four years. The student will also participate in conferences, workshops, seminars and other scholarly activities, and contribute to teaching.

You will conduct your research under the supervision of Dr. Kynthia Chamilothori and Prof. Yvonne de Kort. You will be a member of the light group of HTI, the IntelLight+ team, and of TU/e’s Intelligent Lighting Institute. The research is performed in close collaboration with Signify (Dr. Kees Teunissen).

Context: The IntelLight+ Project   

Human-centric lighting should benefit users, but its implementation is no clear-cut process. Light affects human health and wellbeing in many ways. Among others, it powerfully regulates our internal circadian rhythm but also drives visual performance, comfort, and experience. To complicate matters, the first process (our biological clock) requires very bright daytime light, although most of us are not consciously aware of this need; the second process typically makes people dim the light. Moreover, lighting needs and preferences differ widely between individuals, but also within one person, for instance with time of day, task, environment, or company. On top of this, we are all very much aware of the pressing need to save energy.

The IntelLight+ project builds on the latest insights in new light sources, Internet of Things developments, and how lighting impacts human functioning. IntelLight+ takes an integrative approach in developing: (1) algorithms needed to infer, and even predict ahead of time, a user’s context to accommodate user needs and preferences, (2) innovative light designs which allow to deliver sufficiently bright light (at the right place and time) that is also pleasant, mentally restoring, and comfortable, and (3) new design methodologies that allow to calculate the optical designs that current human and sustainability lighting needs require with optimal efficiency, higher optical quality and better utilization.

In total, there will be three PhD candidates and three PDEng candidates (in the department of Mathematics and Computer Science, the department of Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences, and in the department of the Built Environment) working on this project. All these departments are part of the Intelligent Lighting Institute. Moreover, the project is a close collaboration with Signify.

• A (nearly) completed MSc. in Lighting design, (Environmental) Psychology, Health Sciences, Human-Technology Interaction, or a related discipline.
• Expertise in empirical research on humans
• A strong interest in lighting and in psychology
• A research-oriented attitude
• Advanced statistical skills
• Experience with VR and/or simulation software is a considered a plus.
• You have strong conceptual thinking and planning skills, are creative and proactive
• You are excited to work in an interdisciplinary team and interested in collaborating with industrial partners.
• Fluent in spoken and written English, and have excellent verbal as well as written communication skills.

• A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university with the possibility to present your work at international conferences.
• A full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months.
• To develop your teaching skills, you will spend 10% of your employment on teaching tasks.
• To support you during your PhD and to prepare you for the rest of your career, you will make a Training and Supervision plan and you will have free access to a personal development program for PhD students (PROOF program ).
• A gross monthly salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• Additionally, an annual holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
• Should you come from abroad and comply with certain conditions, you can make use of the so-called ‘30% facility’, which permits you not to pay tax on 30% of your salary.
• A broad package of fringe benefits, including an excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes.
• Family-friendly initiatives are in place, such as an international spouse program, and excellent on-campus children day care and sports facilities.

About us

Eindhoven University of Technology is a top-ranking Dutch university that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a leading position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow.

The Department of Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences (IE&IS) is a leading school in the area of industrial engineering and management science as well as innovation sciences.
IE&IS has several BSc and MSc programs housed in two separate schools. Research is multi-disciplinary, based on fundamental scientific insights and methods. The school of Industrial Engineering (IE) focuses on the analysis, (re)design, and control of operational processes in organizations and the information systems needed for these processes, and the school of Innovation Sciences (IS) focuses on the realization and impact of technological innovations at the individual, organizational, and societal level. At the heart of our academic philosophy is the synergy between research and teaching.

The Human Technology Interaction (HTI) group is part of the school of IS. It concentrates expertise in social sciences – in particular psychology – and engineering, studying technology in the service of human wellbeing, within the broader context of a socially and ecologically sustainable society. The HTI group has a strong track record in education at the TU/e, running the BSc program Psychology and Technology and a (international) Master program in Human-Technology Interaction. Current research topics at the Human-Technology Interaction group include affective computing, persuasive technology, artificial intelligence, data science, virtual environments, digital gaming, recommender systems, online behavior, natural and artificial light, robotics, and embodied interfaces.

The Intelligent Lighting Institute (ILI) is TU/e’s interdepartmental institute for innovations in lighting. It was established in 2010 and is home to multidisciplinary research around novel intelligent lighting solutions, with a special emphasis on how these new solutions might affect people. In addition, ILI aims at providing scientific evidence for the claims that go with these novel lighting solutions.

More information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact
dr. Kynthia Chamilothori, k.chamilothori[at]tue.nl or prof. Yvonne de Kort,  y.a.w.d.kort[at]tue.nl, or +31 40 247 2889.

For information about terms of employment, click here or contact HR Services, pz.ieis[at]tue.nl.

Please visit www.tue.nl/jobs to find out more about working at TU/e!

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application by using the 'apply now'-button on this page.
The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of
  three references.
• Brief description of your MSc thesis.
• Grade list

We look forward to your application and will screen it as soon as we have received it. Screening will continue until the position has been filled.

Please note that you have to combine your documents to 1 with the maximum of 10 MB. Please do not send us your applications by email.