Designing, optimizing and analyzing optical systems as part of the implementation process into production of modern luminaires require using advanced simulation and computational methods. The progressive miniaturization of LED (light emitting diode) chips and growth in maximum luminance values, achieving up to 108 cd/m2, require constructing very accurate geometries of reflector and lens systems producing complex luminous intensity distributions while reducing discomfort glare levels. Currently, the design process cannot function without advanced simulation methods. Today’s simulation methods in the lighting technology offer very good results as far as relatively large conventional light sources such as halogen lamps, metal halide lamps and high pressure sodium lamps are concerned. Unfortunately, they often fail in the case of chip-on-board LED light sources whose luminous surface dimensions are increasingly often contained inside a cube of the side length below 1mm. With the high sensitivity of such small chips and lenses with dimensions ranging from a just a few to between 10 and 20 mm, which is presented in this paper, modern luminance distribution measurement methods, luminance modelling and ray tracing methods should be used to minimize any errors arising from incorrectly projecting the design in the final physical model. Also, very importantly, focus should be directed towards reducing a chance of making a mistake while collimating the position of the light source inside the optical system. The paper presents a novel simulation calculation method enriched with an analysis of optical system sensitivity to a light source position. The results of simulation calculations are compared with the results of laboratory measurements for corresponding systems.

The application of solid-state light sources in luminaires creates a new quality in illumination design works. In a confrontation with a commonly used but relatively unattractive flood method, the use of small-size luminaires allows one to present an illuminated architectural object in a more attractive way in the evening and at night. In this case, it is possible to apply the principles of illumination described in the literature, especially the principle of height amplification and the principle of depth amplification. The conceptual work of illumination with the use of a large number of small-size luminaires does not require the use of supporting graphical tools, but the specification of actual lighting equipment using only polygonal samples in this case is not possible. The paper presents selected issues of the key stages of the completed work. Using specialized computer software, a geometric model of the architectural object has been developed, facade materials have been parameterized, models of small-size illuminating equipment have been selected and, finally, calculations of luminance distribution on illuminated surfaces have been carried out. As a result of computer work, luminance distributions and photorealistic visualizations of illuminations from defined main directions of observation were obtained. The Lubomirski Palace in Przemysl is an example of the architectural object indicated for detailed works.

In recent years, many scientific and industrial centres in the world developed a virtual reality systems or laboratories. The effect of user “immersion” into virtual reality in such systems is largely dependent on optical properties of the system. In this paper, problems of luminance distribution uniformity in CAVE-type virtual reality systems are analyzed. For better characterization of CAVE luminance nonuniformity corner and edge CAVE nonuniformity were introduced. Based on described CAVE-type virtual reality laboratory, named Immersive 3D Visualization Lab (I3DVL) just opened at the Gdansk University of Technology, luminance nonuniformity of the system is evaluated and discussed. Data collection of luminance distribution allows for software compensation of intensity distribution of individual images projected onto the screen (luminance non-uniformity minimization) in the further research.

The article presents selected results of research on improving pedestrian traffic safety. Based on annually-updated accident statistics made available by the police, as well as the new pedestrian traffic regulations in force, detailed work was undertaken to assess the level of visibility of pedestrians by drivers in pedestrian crossing areas. The research was carried out by analyzing several characteristic cases of pedestrian crossings occurring in Poland, in which there was only dedicated lighting for crossings, only street lighting, and a variant of coexistence of both of the above lighting solutions. Illuminance measurements were made in the horizontal and vertical planes of pedestrian crossings, and the results were confronted with the relevant guidelines. The next step involved a complementary measurement of the luminance distribution of the vertical plane containing the pedestrian and a portion of the sub- and super-horizontal background. Visibility pedestrians was considered in positive and negative contrast variants, and was then related to the obtained results of the illumination distribution. The analysis of the results of the study indicated the possibility of limited visibility of pedestrians at the crossings despite the satisfactory results obtained from measurements of the illuminance distribution within the crossings.