Estimation Method and Simulation of Brightness of Monochromatic LED Point Source Perceived by the Elderly and Protanopes

This study aimed at estimating the brightness of a monochromatic LED point source as perceived by the elderly and protanopes. In order to estimate the perceived brightness of the monochromatic LED point source for the elderly and protanopes, we defined an index, brightness perception efficiency, which is a ratio of perceived luminosity with spectral luminous efficiency of the elderly or protanopes to the luminosity with standard spectral luminous efficiency. The brightness perception efficiency was calculated using both the LED spectral radiant intensity defined by a peak wavelength and a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the LED, and the spectral luminous efficiencies of the elderly in their 70s and protanopes. The brightness perception efficiency indicated that monochromatic LED point sources with a broad FWHM effectively attenuate the reduction in perceived brightness of the elderly and protanopes. It is expected that in the case of a peak wavelength of 475 nm the elderly perceive brightness equivalent to 1.6 times luminosity for the LED with a FWHM of 100 nm compared to that with a FWHM of 15 nm, and in the case of a peak wavelength of 635 nm protanopes perceived brightness equivalent to about 3 times luminosity for the LED with a FWHM of 100 nm compared to that with a FWHM of 15 nm. Based on the brightness perception efficiency, we developed an LED illumination simulator that allows the young observers with normal color vision to experience the brightness perceived by the elderly and protanopes.