노인요양시설의 사용자 중심 조명 환경 조성을 위한 스마트 파티션 디자인 연구 = A Study on Smart Partition Design for Creating a User-Centered Lighting Environment in Elderly Care Facilities

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Background: As population aging accelerates, elderly care facilities are increasingly required to provide user-centered environmental quality. Lighting is a key environmental factor that affects residents’ sleep-wake rhythms, emotional stability, safety, and daily activities. However, in shared two-bed rooms, a single lighting system often limits individual adjustment and may cause light interference, glare, reduced privacy, and weakened perceived control. This study proposes a smart partition design that supports both independent lighting control and privacy in two-bed rooms of elderly care facilities.
Methods:　This study is a design proposal aimed at improving the lighting environment of two-bed rooms in elderly care facilities. The design was developed based on a literature review and field survey. The literature review examined previous studies on elderly care facility lighting, privacy, and user-centered design to establish analytical criteria. The field survey observed and analyzed spatial configuration, lighting operation, partition conditions, circulation around beds, and user behavior in a two-bed room. Based on these findings, the design task and concept were defined, and the structure, materials, lighting system, and control method of the proposed smart partition were developed.
Results：The field survey identified limitations in independent lighting control and privacy support in shared two-bed rooms. In response, this study proposes Lumipart, a smart partition system that integrates lighting functions with spatial separation. Lumipart applies a dual-sided independent control interface, allowing each user to adjust lighting and privacy settings separately. It differentiates focused lighting for activities from diffuse lighting for rest and nighttime stability. It also uses diffusers, shading elements, translucent panels, and PDLC smart glass to reduce light leakage and glare while supporting adjustable visual and psychological privacy. A lower base structure was also considered to enhance stability and user safety.
Conclusion：　This study presents an integrated design direction that expands lighting in shared elderly care rooms from a fixed facility into a user-controllable spatial element. The proposed smart partition can reduce resident-to-resident light interference, support independent lighting control and privacy, and strengthen users’ sense of choice and control, thereby contributing to the improvement of user-centered care environments.