Colors can appear different under incandescent, fluorescent, and other artificial lighting. SERIC artificial solar lighting reproduces sunlight more faithfully, helping users evaluate colors accurately indoors for inspection, design, photography, manufacturing, and other color-critical work.
Why Artificial Solar Lighting Matters for Color Evaluation
Accurate color evaluation becomes difficult when the appearance of an object changes under different light sources. This is a major challenge in work that requires precise color judgment.
SERIC artificial solar lighting helps solve this problem by reproducing sunlight more faithfully in indoor environments. It allows objects to be viewed in light that closely resembles natural sunlight, making color evaluation more reliable and consistent even when working inside.
It is also used in a wide range of color-critical applications where accurate color appearance is essential, including art, printing, photography, digital camera evaluation with color charts, and exhibitions where colors must be presented faithfully.
In photography, incandescent lighting can give objects a reddish cast, making a tomato appear more orange than its natural color. Fluorescent lighting often overemphasizes blue and yellow tones, which can make grapes look dull and strawberries appear slightly darker.
With XELIOS artificial solar lighting, colors look more natural and balanced: tomatoes appear vividly red, grapes show a clearer translucent green, and strawberries look fresher and truer to life. This makes it easier to evaluate color as it would appear in natural sunlight.
Example 2: In automobile panel repair carried out indoors, the edges of a repaired area may be difficult to detect under ordinary lighting but become clearly visible outdoors in natural sunlight. XELIOS artificial solar lighting helps solve this problem by providing sunlight-equivalent illumination indoors, enabling more accurate inspection during the repair process. For this reason, it is used by automotive dealers in both Japan and Europe as a light source for automobile panel repair.
Lighting Conditions for Accurate Color Evaluation
To evaluate colors accurately, lighting must meet three essential conditions.
1. High color rendering close to natural sunlight (CRI near 100).
2. A color temperature close to daylight, typically around 5000–6000 K.
3. Sufficient brightness for clear visual evaluation, generally 2000 lux or more.
Conventional light sources often meet only some of these requirements. Incandescent lighting may provide sufficient brightness and relatively strong color rendering, but its low color temperature can cause colors to appear overly warm or yellowish.
Fluorescent lighting may offer an appropriate color temperature and brightness, but if its color rendering index is too low, accurate color evaluation becomes difficult.
Artificial solar lighting is designed to satisfy all three conditions, making it well suited for accurate indoor color evaluation..
In addition, XELIOS is designed to reduce color distortion caused by reflected light from ceilings or walls. Unlike AC fluorescent lamps, it uses DC-powered illumination, which helps eliminate flicker and reduces eye fatigue during extended use.
For this reason, artificial solar lighting is used in environments such as paint and plastics factories, where accurate color evaluation is required even on rainy days, at night, or whenever natural sunlight is unavailable.
Applications for Accurate Color Evaluation
SERIC artificial solar lighting is used in a wide range of color-critical applications, including:
boutiques and fabric or drapery stores
printing shops and photo studios
design companies and paint color preparation
gemstone appraisal, cosmetics, and precious metal work
museums, galleries, and exhibitions
food inspection
dental clinics and dental laboratories
XELIOS Series for Accurate Color Evaluation
The XELIOS Series provides artificial solar lighting designed for accurate color evaluation under indoor conditions. With models ranging from compact portable units to large, high-brightness systems, SERIC offers solutions for a wide variety of professional environments.
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Can be used for solar energy research and for performing outdoor environmental tests indoors.
Stable substitute sunlight can be reproduced indoors without being affected by weather, seasonal changes, or other natural environmental conditions.
Substitute Sunlight Essential for Solar Energy Research and Outdoor Environmental Testing
Sunlight simulators are essential for the development of solar cells, and as a specialized sunlight manufacturer, SERIC also offers artificial solar lighting as a source of substitute sunlight for use in solar energy research. With technologies for lighting that closely reproduces natural sunlight, we support solar cell development through the development and supply of Solar Simulators for solar cell evaluation.
Because the light is extremely similar to sunlight across a wide wavelength range, it can also support a variety of other sunlight-related tests and evaluations in addition to solar cell research and development. These applications include color matching of automotive paint, outdoor evaluation of electrical devices, smartphones, and tablets, and evaluation of the light resistance of parts and materials.
Adjustable Wavelength Characteristics and Radiant Intensity
Adjustable wavelength characteristics
The high-fidelity artificial solar lighting (EF filter) produces light that is extremely similar to sunlight in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared ranges. It is used by customers in a wide range of industries as a source of substitute sunlight.
In addition to the high-fidelity type, optional UV-type and visible light-type filters are also available, allowing the user to select the desired wavelength characteristics.
Filters can be changed using a single screwdriver, making it easy to adjust the wavelength characteristics for a variety of testing levels.
Irradiation equivalent to 1 SUN direct midsummer sunlight (1,000 W/m²) and 100,000 lux is also possible.
Direct midsummer sunlight is described as “1 SUN.” It has an irradiance of 1,000 W/m², and the brightness at this level is approximately 100,000 lux. Irradiation at this level is possible with the “light-condensing artificial solar lighting (super spotlight type).”
If data for the desired irradiance is provided in advance, the product can be configured accordingly. It is possible to reproduce the exact sunlight conditions required, from direct midsummer sunlight to early spring sunlight.
Full-Spectrum Sunlight: Three Dependable Characteristics of Artificial Solar Lighting
The optical spectrum conforms to the reliable JIS standard.
With our experience in producing Solar Simulators for solar cell evaluation, SERIC is able to reproduce sunlight with a high level of fidelity. The degree of consistency with outdoor testing can also be measured. Moreover, by changing the optional filters, it is possible to adjust the light level in four patterns: UV only, visible light only, UV-visible light, and visible light-IR.
<Corresponding standard> JIS C 8912 Spectral Coincidence – Class A
<Data> Upon request, spectral data from 300 – 2500 nm can be provided.
Perform the same test every time with stable light intensity.
Because the lights are illuminated with a SERIC original ballast (stabilizer), there is almost no deterioration in lighting performance. Tests can be performed under a reliable and constant light level regardless of the time of day or weather.
<Stability> Temporal fluctuations: 5% or less
An ordinary AC 100V outlet can be used, and no installation work is required.
Because an AC 100V outlet can be used, there is no need for additional work on existing equipment. The light can be turned ON and OFF with a switch, and no complicated operating procedure is required.
<Power supply capacity>
100W Series: 2 A/100V
500W Series: 9 A/100V
Artificial Solar Lighting and Solar Simulators Essential for Solar Energy Research.
Special-order systems can be produced to provide the required irradiation conditions.
In addition to the XELIOS artificial solar lighting series, we also provide a variety of light source systems, including combination light source systems, products using XC-500EF artificial solar lighting or the XC-500EFSS super spotlight type, and products using a 1 kW or larger xenon lamp or metal halide lamp. Please consult with us regarding your testing details and irradiation requirements..
Light identical to sunlight is used for biology, environmental science, and pharmaceutical R&D.
Artificial solar lighting is used as light sources at a broad range of research institutions and universities in fields including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and biotechnology.
Pharmaceutical, cosmetic, biological, and environmental science research
SERIC artificial solar lighting systems for phototoxicity testing allow stable exposure of cells to ultraviolet light that is extremely close to natural sunlight. The first system produced was used by a government testing agency. The test results were highly evaluated, and subsequent systems have been used in the safety research divisions of many pharmaceutical manufacturers. In addition, they are also ideal for use in phototoxicity testing and ROS assays (chemical reactivity testing) at food product manufacturers, cosmetics manufacturers, and other safety research.
With conventional animal testing, many negative substances produced positive results in phototoxicity tests using cells, raising questions about the validity of previous cell toxicity tests. Guidelines now recommend a method which does not use cells, and which detects active oxygen when a reagent solution is exposed to UV rays.
The SERIC SXL-2500V2 Sunlight Irradiation System is being used in the process of creating phototoxicity test procedures based on these guidelines.
Same light (UV rays) as sunlight
Artificial solar lighting was developed to faithfully reproduce natural sunlight. It is continuous light with a spectral distribution that includes the near-UV rays (300 nm – 380 nm) which are said to be beneficial to human health. Although halogen lamps and ordinary light bulbs also produce continuous light, the light contains no near-UV at all and therefore does not function as sunlight. Because fluorescent lights and metal halide lamps contain more bright line spectra than sunlight, it is reported that they cause fatigue at a rate several times higher than sunlight. In Northern Europe where sunlight is precious, people enjoy sunbathing in the brief summer sun. This is because exposure to sunlight on the skin produces vitamin D inside the body, providing health benefits that include helping to prevent rickets, improving weak constitutions, and boosting resistance to colds. Sunlight has the power to protect and benefit people and other animals – benefits that are now possible with artificial solar lighting.
Pressure ulcers (bedsores)
Clinical trials were carried out to verify the treatment effects on pressure ulcers, and were reported by the Japan Society of Pressure Ulcers.
For a summary, please refer to “Results from Treatment of Bedsore Lesions”.
Other results include benefits for raising orchids, mushrooms, and other plants, and improved behavior of fish which were constantly restless under fluorescent light. The wonderful power of sunlight is also widely used in healthcare and biotechnology applications.
XELIOS artificial solar lighting produces the same light as natural sunlight, boosting the brain’s alpha waves, relieving stress and stabilizing moods, and improving cognitive abilities. Some test results have suggested that it may be beneficial as lighting when studying. (Test conducted by the NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) program “Try and Try”.)
Used in these kinds of fields
Phototoxicity testing, chemical photoreactivity testing, ROS assays, biotechnology industry, plant growing, wellness facilities, medical research, study rooms for exam students, nursing homes, pig and chicken farming, and other fields where the effects of sunlight are needed.
The ideal artificial solar lighting for use in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, biology, and environmental science research
Sunlight Irradiation Systems for phtotoxicity testing and ROS assays
Providing high power and accurate sunlight reproduction
Ideal for conducting phototoxicity testing and chemical photoreactivity testing (ROS assays).
XELIOS 500W Series
These are the basic models of artificial solar lighting that produce light which is as close as possible to natural sunlight. They can be used with 100V power, and include a light control function.
XELIOS 100W Series
These models were developed in response to requests for smaller sizes and reduced power consumption. They are compact artificial solar lighting that feature low running costs.
