Issue link: https://industrialengineer.epubxp.com/i/826827
the frontline 18 ISE Magazine | www.iise.org/ISEmagazine the front line Could productivity improvement be as simple as picking the right color? Mariana Figueiro, a professor at the Lighting Re- search Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, told Agence France-Presse that she has an extensive body of research to back up that claim. Measuring "biomarkers" that include brain activ- ity, performance type and reaction times, as well as alertness and self-reported sleepiness, her team found that saturated blue colors increase alertness, especially for the night shift. The metric for light is nanometers, which measure its wavelength range and saturation of color. A 460-nanometer blue affected the circadian system by simulating light from a daytime sky. Meanwhile, saturated red colors, specifically 640 nanometers of red, can trigger alertness. Unlike blue light, the reds do not decrease the hormone melato- nin. "We have found having red light is like drinking a cup of coffee," Figueiro told the news service. "It's novel, and people are starting to think about these kinds of solutions." The reds and blues of productivity RPI researcher says color can help unleash your workforce Get the latest news, and network and benchmark with other members in industry- and discipline-specific groups. IISE's member-run socieƟes and divisions provide a unique opportunity for member-to-member knowledge exchange across diverse industries, which is criƟcal to advance your career. Join more than 7,000 colleagues already parƟcipaƟng. Society for Engineering & Management Systems (SEMS) Society for Health Systems (SHS) Applied Ergonomics (GOErgo) Division Computer & InformaƟon Systems Division ConstrucƟon Division Energy Systems Division Engineering Economy Division Lean Division Customize information from IISE by joining a Society or Division Join as many Societies or Divisions as you wish. It's easy. Go to www.iise.org/myiise and "Update your member record." LogisƟcs & Supply Chain Division Manufacturing & Design Division OperaƟons Research Division Process Industries Division Quality Control & Reliability Engineering Division Sustainable Development Division Work Systems Division