Teresa Goodman

Mesopic visual efficiency IV: A model with relevance to nighttime driving and other applications

The authors represent a research consortium1 which has adopted a task performance based approach for nighttime driving to establish a system for photometry in the mesopic region. This article analyses the experimental investigations described in earlier articles on visual performance in the mesopic domain using reaction time, detection threshold, and discrimination threshold techniques. These results are used to develop a system for mesopic photometry, which balances the quality of the fit to the experimental data with the ease of practical implementation by the lighting industry. A more complex model is also described, which takes account of the chromatic visual response channels and thus provides a better fit to some of the experimental results (particularly those involving monochromatic stimuli), but describes the totality of the data less well and is furthermore less suitable for practical photometric measurements.

Array-based goniospectroradiometer for measurement of spectral radiant intensity and spectral total flux of light sources

We present a description of a new goniospectroradiometric measurement system developed at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). The instrument incorporates a modified array spectrometer and a series of rotary stages to allow measurement of the spectral radiant intensity distribution of a variety of different types of light source from 350 to 830 nm. Associated source properties such as chromaticity and correlated color temperature distributions and total spectral flux are then calculated from the radiant intensity data. A preliminary comparison with NPLs integrating sphere-based luminous flux scale shows agreement to within 0.4%, well within the combined measurement uncertainty. Measurements of the luminous intensity and color temperature distributions and the spectral total flux of a tungsten filament flux standard, a white LED cluster and a compact fluorescent source made using the goniospectroradiometer, are also presented.

The NPL Radiometric Realization of the Candela

A radiometric realization of the S.I. base unit of photometry, the candela, as performed at the National Physical Laboratory, is described and the results compared with the scale established at NPL in 1937 and disseminated since 1948. The realization has been carried out in accordance with the radiometrically based redefinition given by the Conference Generale des Poids et Mesures (CGPM) in 1979 which quantifies the spectral luminous efficacy of radiation at a specified frequency (540 × 1012 Hz) as 683 lumens per watt. The excellent performance of the siliconphotodiode photometers developed for this project is demonstrated, together with characteristics of the two types of lamp employed for preserving the results of the realization and methods for improving their alignment and reproducibility.

Reference data set for camera spectral sensitivity estimation.

In this article, we describe a spectral sensitivity measurement procedure at the National Physical Laboratory, London, with the aim of obtaining ground truth spectral sensitivity functions for Nikon D5100 and Sigma SD1 Merill cameras. The novelty of our data is that the potential measurement errors are estimated at each wavelength. We determine how well the measured spectral sensitivity functions represent the actual camera sensitivity functions (as a function of wavelength). The second contribution of this paper is to test the performance of various leading sensor estimation techniques implemented from the literature using measured and synthetic data and also evaluate them based on ground truth data for the two cameras. We conclude that the estimation techniques tested are not sufficiently accurate when compared with our measured ground truth data and that there remains significant scope to improve estimation algorithms for spectral estimation. To help in this endeavor, we will make all our data available online for the community.

Assessment of the optical radiation hazard from a home-use intense pulsed light (IPL) source.

Intense pulsed light (IPL) systems have evolved and crossed over from the clinic to the home. Studies have shown home‐use IPLs to be clinically effective but there has been no published data on ocular safety. It was our aim to measure the spectral and temporal optical radiation output from a home‐use IPL and assess the ocular hazard.

Measurement with Persons:A European Network

Abstract: The European ‘Measuring the Impossible’ Network MINET promotes new research activities in measurement dependent on human perception and/or interpretation. This includes the perceived attributes of products and services, such as quality or desirability, and societal parameters such as security and well-being. Work has aimed at consensus about four ‘generic’ metrological issues: (1) Measurement Concepts & Terminology; (2) Measurement Techniques: (3) Measurement Uncertainty; and (4) Decision-making & Impact Assessment, and how these can be applied specifically to the ‘Measurement of Persons’ in terms of ‘Man as a Measurement Instrument’ and ‘Measuring Man.’ Some of the main achievements of MINET include a research repository with glossary; training course; book; series of workshops; think tanks and study visits, which have brought together a unique constellation of researchers from physics, metrology, physiology, psychophysics, psychology and sociology. Metrology (quality-assured measurement) in this area is relatively underdeveloped, despite great potential for innovation, and extends beyond traditional physiological metrology in that it also deals with measurement with all human senses as well as mental and behavioral processes. This is particularly relevant in applications where humans are an important component of critical systems, where for instance health and safety are at stake.

Spectral radiance source based on supercontinuum laser and wavelength tunable bandpass filter: the spectrally tunable absolute irradiance and radiance source.

A new spectrally tunable source for calibration of radiometric detectors in radiance, irradiance, or power mode has been developed and characterized. It is termed the spectrally tunable absolute irradiance and radiance source (STAIRS). It consists of a supercontinuum laser, wavelength tunable bandpass filter, power stabilization feedback control scheme, and output coupling optics. It has the advantages of relative portability and a collimated beam (low étendue), and is an alternative to conventional sources such as tungsten lamps, blackbodies, or tunable lasers. The supercontinuum laser is a commercial Fianium SC400-6-02, which has a wavelength range between 400 and 2500 nm and a total power of 6 W. The wavelength tunable bandpass filter, a PhotonEtc laser line tunable filter (LLTF), is tunable between 400 and 1000 nm and has a bandwidth of 1 or 2 nm depending on the wavelength selected. The collimated laser beam from the LLTF filter is converted to an appropriate spatial and angular distribution for the application considered (i.e., for radiance, irradiance, or power mode calibration of a radiometric sensor) with the output coupling optics, for example, an integrating sphere, and the spectral radiance/irradiance/power of the source is measured using a calibration optical sensor. A power stabilization feedback control scheme has been incorporated that stabilizes the source to better than 0.01% for averaging times longer than 100 s. The out-of-band transmission of the LLTF filter is estimated to be < -65 dB (0.00003%), and is sufficiently low for many end-user applications, for example the spectral radiance calibration of earth observation imaging radiometers and the stray light characterization of array spectrometers (the end-user optical sensor). We have made initial measurements of two end-user instruments with the STAIRS source, an array spectrometer and ocean color radiometer.

Authors’ response to SA Fotios

three sub-tasks: can it be seen, how quickly, and what is it. This provides a useful framework for devising the experimental work. Would the authors please confirm whether the proposed reaction time tests will be onaxis, off-axis, or both. Also, it is noted several times that their work will use 120 observers: is this particular quantity significant, and if so, why? I look forward to reading the results of the experimental work described in this paper.

Ground comparisons at RadCalNet sites to determine the equivalence of sites within the network

The Radiometric Calibration Network (RadCalNet, www.radcalnet.org) routinely brings together data from several instrumented ground sites to provide users with top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance data. These data are provided on cloud free days between 09:00 and 15:00 for the spectral range 400 to 1000 nm (and up to 2500 nm depending on available instrumentation) at a 10 nm spectral resolution. The data represents the nadir view of the ground. A key aspect to RadCalNet is a strict adherence to SI-traceability leading to well-understood and defensible uncertainty analysis to ensure that the different sites operating within RadCalNet are consistent with one another. This process includes the requirement to validate uncertainty analyses. One way in which this can be achieved is through field-based comparisons between independently measured reflectance of the ground and the RadCalNet data product for that date / time. To test the potential of such comparisons for uncertainty validation, a comparison campaign has been un- dertaken by the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) with the University of Arizona (UA) in March 2017 at the Railroad Valley radiometric test site in Nevada, USA using instruments developed for the purpose by UA and the Czech Metrology Institute (CMI). The measurements taken at the site with a new instrument, the Multispectral Transfer Radiometer (MuSTR) have been compared against the RadCalNet bottom-of-atmosphere (BOA) dataset to determine the equivalence of the reflectance. Radiances from MuSTR have also been compared against radiance measurements from the in-situ instrumentation at the site using a 48 % reflectance tarpaulin as a target. The comparisons presented here have demonstrated the utility of field-based comparisons for RadCalNet. In addition, a potential methodology for these comparisons has been developed and potential areas for improvement, including the systematic development of field-based uncertainty analyses, have been identified.

Mise en pratique for the definition of the candela and associated derived units for photometric and radiometric quantities in the International System of Units (SI)

The purpose of this mise en pratique, prepared by the Consultative Committee for Photometry and Radiometry (CCPR) of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) and formally adopted by the CIPM, is to provide guidance on how the candela and related units used in photometry and radiometry can be realized in practice. The scope of the mise en pratique recognizes the fact that the two fields of photometry and radiometry and their units are closely related through the current definition of the SI base unit for the photometric quantity, luminous intensity: the candela. The previous version of the mise en pratique was applied only to the candela whereas this updated version covers the realization of the candela and other related units used for photometric and radiometric quantities. Recent advances in the generation and manipulation of individual photons show great promise of producing radiant fluxes with a well-established number of photons. Thus, this mise en pratique also includes information on the practical realization of units for photometric and radiometric quantities using photon-number-based techniques. In the following, for units used for photometric and radiometric quantities, the shorter term, photometric and radiometric units, is generally used. Section 1 describes the definition of the candela which introduces a close relationship between photometric and radiometric units. Sections 2 and 3 describe the practical realization of radiometric and photon-number-based units, respectively. Section 4.1 explains how, in general, photometric units are derived from radiometric units. Sections 4.2–4.5 deal with the particular geometric conditions for the specific photometric units. Section 5 deals very briefly with the topic of determination of measurement uncertainties in photometry.