Have track lighting, where the light is motorised, and moves across in synchronism with the sun, so you get a better idea of what time it is. Maybe modulate the light to match the outside levels as well. Makes you go home at night, or possibly turn on large number of white LEDs, simulating stars. If you are lucky, the moon will come up. Enables you to use sundial indoors.
-- pfperry, Jul 16 2002

I think this is sort of Baked; some research greenhouses use bright artificial light to keep plants growing in the dark winter months, but since some species are highly phototropic, they will grow rapidly toward the strongest light source, despite careful engieering to ensure isotropic coverage. So, the lights are dimmed and brightened on a phased chcyle to simulate the movement of the sun in a natural environment, thus ensuring more "genuine" growth patterns. I've never heard of this being used in a house, though. I think the difficulty of coupling the currents involved through the track onto a moving contact would militate against this compared to a number of fixed lights operated in sequence via a controller.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 16 2002


Steve DeGroof, the idea of a light that aims at whatever you are looking at is way cooler than my idea! And well practical, too. Imagine the chaos in a dimly lit club when everyone sees where their partners eyes are sraying as the give-away laser beams flick over the meat market...
-- pfperry, Jul 17 2002



halfbakery