STANDARDIZATION OF LIGHT EMITING DIODE FEEDBACK ON SOLAR HOME SYSTEMS (A REVIEW)

Abstract

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are used in a variety of devices ranging from watches to solar home systems, as status indicators or communicative tools. They are typically designed to produce light in different colors and intensities. However, the communicative output varies across devices of similar or different functions. This variation and the sense that there is a wide array of expressions that can be employed, makes it hard for users of the devices to deduce the feedback easily. To address this gap, this paper looks at researches that highlight the

importance of LEDs, their incorporation in various devices especially solar home

systems and the challenges that arise from lack of standardization of their expressivity. The findings show that LEDs are a dominant lighting technology and that through Internet of Things (IoT) they are going to become even more prevalent in user devices. The study also finds that solar home systems have become a lifeline for many people not covered by grid electricity, but their adoption can be affected by user perception. It is also found out that with their limited iconography these systems can be challenging to use and so this not only affects usability but also distribution because of the level of support needed. This paper also investigates how Human Computer Interaction (HCI) frameworks can be employed to solve the identified usability challenges concludes that using a HCI framework to standardize the interface design of LED-touting devices can increase expressivity and user understanding of feedback relayed by these devices. Thus, manufacturers and industry governing bodies need to consider a universal vocabulary of light-based design that can be widely adopted to solve device usage challenges.