Coastal urban development has resulted in buildings and civil structures extending to the waters edge, which has significantly reduced the coastlines natural mechanisms for resisting erosion from wave action. There is a need to restore the ability of many coastlines to absorb wave energy and to restore native shoreline plants. To address this problem, this technology provides biomechanical structures for coastline remediation.

Rensselaer researchers have developed a water treatment system that is integrated with the faade of a building. The system includes a lens that forms part of the building faade and that guides sunlight through wastewater carrying conduits so that the wastewater is treated by the sunlight. The system therefore provides an inexpesive water treatment solution, but also increased thermal storage, as the water absorbs heat energy from the sunlight as well.

This technology relates to solid-state devices as replacements for incandescent light bulbs. The LED based bulb uses the normal Edison socket, but the LED and heat sink are placed on the far end of the bulb. The heat sink attaches to the bottom and outside of the bulb providing a structural base for the LED. Several alternative shapes for the light guide are provided to optimize the light emitted both in quality and quantity (i.e., more closely matching that of white incandescent bulbs).

This invention is directed to a self-commissioning photosensor and controller device that turns electric lights on and off using a microprocessor connected to a luminaire. The processor receives signals from a self-commissioned mountable photosensor. The photosensor uses a unique algorithm to control illumination at the task pane making the photosensor more accurate than current market technologies. Light energy consumption can be reduced by up to 30% and commercial customers can be recompensed in as soon as one year after installation.

Conventional technologies used for the generation of solar power include building-integrated flat-plate photovoltaic (PV) systems, and stand-alone concentrating PV systems that are removed from the location of power application. Although these technologies work, widespread adoption of them for general use has been hampered by a number of impediments, such as the large amount of silicon needed for flat-plate systems, the cost and appearance of the stand-alone systems, and the relatively weak solar-to-electric operating conversaion efficiencies of both systems.

Most lighting level measurements are characterized in terms of illuminance.While this is useful for indoor applications, illuminance levels are not always as useful for outdoor lighting efficiency characterization.Lighting designers and researchers need a method to accurately characterize their outdoor or low level lighting applications. This invention is directed to a system for approximating the flux density of light on a human retina.Different tasks require different structures of the eye.