Comparisons of three practical field devices used to measure personal light exposures and activity levels
Open accessAbstract
This paper documents the spectral and spatial performance characteristics of two new versions of the Daysimeter, devices developed and calibrated by the Lighting Research Center to measure and record personal circadian light exposure and activity levels, and compares them to those of the Actiwatch Spectrum. Photometric errors from the Daysimeters and the Actiwatch Spectrum were also determined for various types of light sources. The Daysimeters had better photometric performance than the Actiwatch Spectrum. To assess differences associated with measuring light and activity levels at different locations on the body, older adults wore four Daysimeters and an Actiwatch Spectrum for seven consecutive days. Wearing the Daysimeter or Actiwatch Spectrum on the wrist compromises accurate light measurements relative to locating a calibrated photosensor at the plane of the cornea.
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Actiwatch light measurements are typically inaccurate at lower light intensities.
“Actiwatch light measurements are typically inaccurate at lower light intensities [see the Supplementary Materials and (11, 12)].”
From Sleepmore in Seattle: Later school start times are associated with more sleep and better performance in high school students (2018) · cites this paper as [11]
Section 2.3 reports substantial photometric errors for the Actiwatch Spectrum, and the Discussion describes systematic bias for some common light sources. The paper does not establish that these errors are typical specifically at lower light intensities; Section 2.2 instead reports that the device’s response was highly linear over several orders of magnitude. (LLM, conf=0.84)
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References 18 · Cited by 179
Research works printed but not linked: 13
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- Authors
- Figueiro, M., Hamner, R., Bierman, A., & Rea, M.
- Affiliations
- Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (US)
- ORCID
- Bierman, A
- Venue
- Lighting Research & Technology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-06-22
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 421-434
- ISSN
- 0024-3426 (ISSN-L)
- 1477-1535
- 1477-0938
- PMC
- PMC3892948
- OpenAlex
- W2106274785
- Cited by
- 179
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 4.71
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Lighting Research & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (R01AG034157)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (U01DA023822)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Impact of Light on Environment and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Keywords
- personal light exposure, activity level measurement, photometric errors, spectral performance, spatial performance, wrist-worn sensors, older adults
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