Colour perception is an unusual psychological phenomenon because it is amenable to accurate quantification and subject-independent reproducibility, a fact that lies at the heart of all colour imaging technology. In this presentation, I will briefly summarize the key concepts of colorimetry that are needed to follow the issue I will then present: The Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage is grappling with the definitions of the colour rendering property (i.e. “quality”) and efficacy (i.e. “quantity”) of light sources. There are numerous proposed definitions for these ideas, but there is no agreed-upon procedure for identifying the “best” ones and so there is a great deal of debate. This is important because there is a significant trade off between colour quality and efficiency. Clearly both quality and quantity of light affect human well-being, but there is no objective method for identifying the optimal compromise between these two desirable characteristics. I will describe some of my work in this area, and describe the solution I am pursuing with several international collaborators. I will also describe the ways in which the outcome of this process will affect prospects for LEDs, OLEDs, and quantum dot phosphors.

Lorne A. Whitehead, Ph.D., P.Eng., is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of British Columbia where he holds the NSERC/3M chair in applied physics. Dr. Whitehead holds more than 100 patents and has commercialized technology arising from his research both by founding several new companies and licensing others, primarily in the fields of illuminating engineering and information display. He has also held administrative roles at UBC including associate dean, dean pro tem, VP academic and provost and leader of education innovation, and has served on the boards of a number of corporate and non-profit organizations.