The effect of short exposure to coloured light on thermal perception: a study using Virtual Reality

This study investigates the effect of short exposure to coloured light on thermal perception. To give the impression of natural daylight passing through coloured filters, but avoiding the drawbacks of conducting an experiment with daylight, continuously changing due to daily and seasonal variations, and to weather conditions, we investigate the use of Virtual Reality as a means to control the visual conditions, creating a hybrid environment with thermal and visual stimuli from the real and virtual world, respectively. Two temperature levels (24 °C and 29 °C) are controlled in a climate chamber, while three visual conditions (orange, blue and neutral colour filters) are displayed in the Virtual Reality headset. Results of a between-subjects experiment show that the coloured light led to different thermal evaluations. In particular, under orange light conditions at 24 °C, subjects felt warmer, less comfortable and judged the thermal environment as less acceptable than under the other colours at the same temperature. The effect of short exposure to coloured light on thermal perception: a study using Virtual Reality. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319963214_The_effect_of_short_exposure_to_coloured_light_on_thermal_perception_a_study_using_Virtual_Reality [accessed Sep 22, 2017].