Delta

Blind controller using fuzzy logic

Project leader: Nicolas Morel
Collaborator: Dr. Manuel Bauer (now ESTIA SA)
External participants: Technical University of Vienna (A); Zumtobel Licht, Dornbirn (A); Landis & Gyr, Zug (CH)

Duration and funding: 1994-1996, OFEN/BEW (Federal Office of Energy, Switerland)

Summary

Blind controller using fuzzy logic. No adaptation is performed: although the user can override the blind position generated by the controller, the latter takes back the hand after a predetermined time interval (typically one hour), and the characteristics of the controller are not adapted to the user’s wishes.

Algorithms used
Fuzzy logic

Work carried out
Algorithm development, simulation study, comparative measurements on two rooms of the LESO building (using a Luxmate bus for blind and artificial lighting control)

Results
The DELTA algorithm allows an improvement of the thermal (overheating) and visual (glare reduction) comfort, together with a reduction of energy consumption (heating and lighting) of up to more than 50 % when compared to unfavourable (but unfortunately rather frequent) manual control strategies.

Publications

Final report (pdf) .