USDOE Human Subjects Research Database, fiscal year 1995

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Project Identifier: LBNL-84-115-H01

Project Title:

Lighting Technology (see LBL-93-9-49 in 1994 database)

Principle Investigator: Dr. Francis Rubinstein

Project started in: 1984

Fiscal Year 1995 Funding for Research on Human Subjects:

Project Funding Information:
Project received funding in Fiscal Year 1995.
Project used human subjects in Fiscal Year 1995.

Funding Sources:

DOE: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Amount: $462,000 (Est.)
Comments:

Grant Number 4748

Information on Use of Human Subjects:

Project does not involve use of multiple protocols/subprojects.

IRB Review:
Type of Review: Full Board
Most Recent Approval: September 26, 1995
IRB Approval Number: 95-9-53

Number of Human Subjects in the Last Reporting Period for this Project: 24
(Reporting periods vary.)

Type of Human Subjects Involvement:

Questionnaires, Surveys, Epidemiological Studies:

Use of personally identifiable data from questionnaires, surveys, or epidemiological studies.

• Use of data collected from subjects specifically for this project.

(a. Objectives, b. Methodology, c. Ionizing Radiation, Radioactive Substances, or Chemical Substances to which human subjects are exposed, d. Involvement of Human Subjects [d.1. procedures used, d.2. risks if any])

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to examine psychophysical effects of interior lighting, to gain a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of the effects, and to estimate the consequences for lighting-design practice. A particular interest within this study is the effect of video display terminal use under the interior lighting conditions being studied.

METHODOLOGY

Separate studies utilizing various methods will be performed to answer several research questions. These studies will include various lamps and lighting conditions, but none that emit harmful levels of ultraviolet light. Subjects will be exposed to light of varying intensity and/or spectral composition, during which visual and mental tasks will be administered. Some sections of the study include defocusing.

INVOLVEMENT OF AND RISKS TO HUMAN SUBJECTS

There are no known long-term risks to subjects exposed to acute conditions of interior lighting with the lamps and intensities used. The defocusing procedure may cause mild discomfort and headache similar to that experienced during a routine eye exam. Even without this procedure some patients may experience some "visual fatigue" or other symptoms from a visual task. Subjects have the opportunity to end their participation, if they wish, at any time.