How a lobster’s eye inspired a solution for light pollution

Have you ever missed seeing the milky way above Utrecht? A team of Master’s students from Utrecht University did and decided to design a solution for it. Noa Hudepol, Anwen Pijpers, Guido Puijk, Daniel Perez Rico and Heleen van Leur were selected as finalist in the Global Biomimicry Design Challenge with DElight, the sustainable streetlight.

Light pollution is a serious problem. Not only does skyglow hide our beautiful galaxy, it also has a negative impact on animals, plants and humans, because it changes the circadian rhythm of day and night. An astonishing 19% of global electricity usage is spent on artificial lighting. The sources of light pollution are diverse and vary from greenhouses, to billboards, to lighting of sports fields and industrial areas, but also streetlights.

To mitigate light pollution, the Utrecht University team decided to focus their efforts on streetlights. Current streetlight design is polluting and outdated, their design is often based on old sodium-vapor lamps instead of modern LEDs. Heleen, student Bio Inspired Innovation, explained they looked to nature to find a better design: “In our studies we are encouraged to look at nature for solutions, because nature has had almost 4 billion years of innovation through evolution, compared to the meager 2.5 million years of innovation by the genus Homo.”

In our studies we are encouraged to look at nature for solutions, because nature has had almost 4 billion years of innovation through evolution, compared to the meager 2.5 million years of innovation by the genus Homo.

So, how does a lobster solve light pollution? “Lobsters live in cracks on the sea floor, where there is little light. To adapt to these conditions, their complex eyes capture light using reflection instead of refraction. We adapted this technology to guide our light only to useful angles, and so illuminating useful spots on the streets, not the sky.”

Thus, by taking inspiration from nature, they created a streetlight design which decreases light pollution and even benefits biodiversity. Interested and want to learn more? Reach out to them by emailing DElight.streetlight@gmail.com or following them on LinkedIn.