Wall mounted SAD light
Memoona Mehmood
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a depressive disorder triggered by seasonal changes. I designed a voice-controlled, wall-mounted cloud-shaped SAD lamp combining adjustable light therapy and air ionisation, featuring dawn simulation, customisable brightness, sound, and air purification to help users manage symptoms comfortably at home or in restricted environments.
Design Problem
Design a system/product to help people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) to cope with and manage their symptoms
For TMA04’s weather theme, I chose to research Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a major depressive disorder that people experience during certain times of the year and is categorised into winter-onset SAD and spring-onset SAD. The disorder was officially named by Rosenthal et al. (1984) at the National Institute of Mental Health who had observed depression occurring in the northern territories of the United States where ‘polar night’ befalls during November – January.
Winter-onset SAD is the commonly known variation, it occurs during the dark, winter months and according to the NHS website, symptoms often include – but is not limited to – feeling low in mood, lethargic, anxious and having no motivation to carry out regular activities.
Rationale
My design proposal is a wall mounted SAD light, shaped as a cloud with the light being emitted from the centre. It is voice-controlled, operated through a remote. The cloud will be formed using lightweight fibre so as not to make it too heavy. The lamp will emit white light up to 10 000 lux and will offer different brightness settings, adjustable to a person’s choice
Rationale
It also includes dawn simulation, where the light begins on a dimmer and builds slowly to give the user a peaceful wakening. There are built in speakers on the underside allowing the user to play sounds of their choice. There is also a fan component at the back, designed to remove negative air ions thus purifying the air in one’s home environment. The remote includes full settings menu to allow for adjustments, connection via Wi-Fi which will be used for voice control and to add third party sound.
This proposal is a new take to most SAD lamps that are on the market and my goal was to create an exciting feeling with its design. Furthermore, my design solution is an attempt to bring together two known solutions, light therapy and air ionisation. A system that combines both techniques is sure to change how SAD is treated. By allowing multiple personalisation settings, the user can build the optimum experience for themselves additionally, someone who has SAD may also feel anxious to be out in public and the lamp affords the user comfortability. There is potential for this design to be used in prisons and psychiatric wards where individuals experience reduced daylight hours.
About me
Wanting to make a new start in life, I turned to the OU and decided to enrol and take this new path. I very much enjoy being creative which led me to choose U101 as my first module and I am glad for the experience. I wish to achieve a sense of pride in myself after graduation, having been dealing with depression for most of my life.