Dynamic adjustment of flexible mirror using photochromatic material
View Patent ↗A light apparatus includes an optical member, composed of an elastically deformable material, having a reflective surface to reflect light. The optical member moveable between a first state in which the reflective surface has a first structural shape, and a plurality of second states in which the reflective surface has a second structural shape different than the first structural shape. Elastically deformable position adjustment members are operable to move the optical member between the first state and the plurality of second states. The elastically deformable position adjustment members have one or more photochromatic regions that are moveable in response to exposure to UV light. Light sources are operable to selectively emit illuminating UV light in a direction that contacts the one or more photochromatic regions to thereby adjust an orientation of the optical member in a manner which changes a direction of light reflected by the optical member.
1. A light apparatus, comprising:
an optical member, composed of an elastically deformable material, having a reflective surface to reflect light, the optical member being operable for movement between a first state in which the reflective surface has a first structural shape, and a plurality of second states in which the reflective surface has a second structural shape different than the first structural shape;
one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members operable to move the optical member between the first state and the plurality of second states, the one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members having one or more photochromatic regions that are moveable in response to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light; and
one or more light sources operable to selectively emit illuminating UV light in a direction that contacts the one or more photochromatic regions to thereby adjust an orientation of the optical member in a manner which changes a direction of light reflected by the optical member.
2. The light apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members comprises a polymer substrate, and
the one or more photochromatic regions are composed of a photochromatic material that is embedded into the polymer substrate.
3. The light apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the photochromatic material comprises an organic photochromatic material.
4. The light apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the organic photochromatic material comprises spiropyran.
5. The light apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light sources comprise LED light sources.
6. The light apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members are arranged spaced apart on a surface of the optical member that is opposite to the reflective surface.
7. The light apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members are interconnected to each other on a surface of the optical member.
8. A lighting system, comprising:
a light apparatus that includes an optical member, composed of an elastically deformable material, having a reflective surface to reflect light, the optical member being composed of an elastically deformable material operable for movement between a first state in which the reflective surface has a first structural shape, and a plurality of second states in which the reflective surface has a second structural shape different than the first structural shape, one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members operable to move the optical member between the first state and the plurality of second states, the one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members having one or more photochromatic regions that are moveable in response to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, and one or more light sources operable to selectively emit illuminating UV light in a direction that contacts the one or more photochromatic regions to thereby adjust an orientation of the optical member in a manner which changes a direction of light reflected by the optical member; and
a controller, operatively coupled to the one or more light sources, the controller including one or more processors and a non-transitory memory operatively coupled to the one or more processors comprising a set of instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to:
dynamically conduct an analysis of sensor data; and
dynamically change, in response to the analysis of the sensor data, a direction of light reflected by the optical member by causing movement of the optical member through a selective actuation of the one or more light sources.
9. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor data relates to an operational environment of a vehicle.
10. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor data comprises image sensor data of an external operational environment of a vehicle.
11. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor data comprises vehicle steering sensor data during operation of the vehicle.
12. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor data comprises vehicle speed sensor data during operation of the vehicle.
13. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein the set of instructions cause the one or more processors to dynamically change the direction of light reflected by the optical member by selectively adjusting an intensity of the UV light emitted by the one or more light sources.
14. A computer implemented method of operating a light apparatus that includes an optical member, composed of an elastically deformable material, having a reflective surface to reflect light, the optical member being composed of an elastically deformable material operable for movement between a first state in which the reflective surface has a first structural shape, and a plurality of second states in which the reflective surface has a second structural shape different than the first structural shape, one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members operable to move the optical member between the first state and the plurality of second states, the one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members having one or more photochromatic regions that are moveable in response to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, and one or more light sources operable to selectively emit illuminating UV light in a direction that contacts the one or more photochromatic regions to thereby adjust an orientation of the optical member in a manner which changes a direction of light reflected by the optical member, the computer implemented method comprising:
dynamically conducting an analysis of sensor data; and
dynamically changing, in response to the analysis of the sensor data, a direction of light reflected by the optical member by causing movement of the optical member through a selective actuation of the one or more light sources.
15. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor data relates to an operational environment of a vehicle.
16. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor data comprises image sensor data of an external operational environment of a vehicle.
17. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor data comprises vehicle steering sensor data during operation of the vehicle.
18. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor data comprises vehicle speed sensor data during operation of the vehicle.
19. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein dynamically changing the direction of light reflected by the optical member comprises selectively adjusting an intensity of the UV light emitted by the one or more light sources.
20. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein dynamically adjusting the direction of light reflected by the optical member comprises selectively adjusting an orientation of the one or more light sources.