Realizing a Society with Zero Environmental Burden

Solar-powered and Eco-friendly Sensor Lighting That Provides Security and Uses Zero Energy

At Optex, we have been focusing on developing solar-powered sensor lighting since the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011. This type of sensor switches off the light when no one is around, and switches on the light when it detects a person. The lights are powered at night by energy from batteries, which are charged during the day from solar energy collected in solar panels (solar cells) and converted into electricity. These lights do not require a commercial power source to operate, which eliminates the need for wiring work. They can provide lighting in places where it is difficult to transmit electricity (areas where power sources cannot reach), and even during power outages. We hope our solar-powered sensor lights can provide reassurance to people by ensuring there is light when needed, such as to support medical aid at hospitals and other places during a disaster and for disaster prevention measures.

Automatic Doors to Conserve Air Conditioning in Buildings

It is said that the loss of air conditioning from the opening and closing of doors accounts for close to 60% of the total loss from other such actions in offices, facilities, and other buildings. This is an important factor when considering the loss of energy in buildings. In New York and South Korea, there are legal restrictions in place that prevent stores and other businesses directly facing the street from leaving their doors open with the air conditioning on.However, so far the only way to limit the loss of air conditioning from the opening and closing of doors has been to make the door opening and closing time as short as possible; but shortening this time to the minimum required is also quite difficult in terms of safety.
At Optex, we have used our existing infrared ray sensors and images to develop a sensor that reads the walking speed and direction of people, and doesn’t open the automatic door when people only pass in front of it. This can greatly reduce the unnecessary opening of automatic doors in stores and businesses that many people pass through, and help to limit the loss of energy in buildings (the effect of the sensors differ according to the usage conditions).

Effortlessly Eco-friendly Automatic Lighting for Offices

Optex in-room detection sensors can be coordinated with switches for lighting and air conditioning systems installed in offices, hotels, and other facilities, and used to optimally control these systems and achieve a more pleasant indoor environment while also saving energy. Energy-saving regulations and mandatory energy-saving ratings are becoming increasingly stricter worldwide, especially in Western countries. So the use of sensors in environmental policies and measures has become quite important. Sensors are used in these buildings to save energy by detecting when people are in a room and switching off the lights in areas where no one is around, and also dimming the lighting in rooms with the lights on. Optex sensing technology can help reduce the environmental burden of offices and buildings.