iPads, TVs, and Light!

Today we looked the light level results of iPads with special light goggles, goggles that shine different wavelengths/colors of light at your eye. There were three variables: blue light goggles and iPad, orange light goggles and iPad, and just the iPad. Eyes looking through blue light goggles and focusing on the iPad will be taking in the highest levels of light while ones looking through orange light goggles at the iPad will get the lowest. Looking at just the iPad was higher than the orange light goggle variable but not by a lot. The predicted result would be that one's melatonin levels would be suppressed the most by blue light goggles and the least by orange light goggles. So people who look through blue light goggles at the iPad just before bed will have a harder time sleeping. The melatonin level results are still being measured so we'll see if the prediction is correct later!
After looking at the light level results, I helped set up seats in front of a humungous television! Then we measured the illuminance (light level) next to my eye of the TV screen's light at different seats in the room. The closest I sat was 6 feet away from the TV and that was by far the greatest illuminance. I learned that one can set the screen's light to different colors and levels, which can help if you're about to go to bed right after watching a movie. It is predicted that making the light level low or changing the temperature to orange colors has less impact on your melatonin levels!

Looking at Experimental Data!

Today we looked at the circadian light level results of my white iPhone. I assumed my phone would have a greater impact on the brain's melatonin levels at different brightness levels which could suppress sleep. Today, I learned the circadian light levels were so low for even when my phone was at its brightest that they would hardly impact the melatonin levels at all! At its brightest level, my phone would effect those levels by only 3%. This was a very small amount and we were measuring these levels on an eye that was 6 inches away from the phone, which is a closer distance than people usually hold their phone at. Brittany also showed me the effect on TVs, computers, and tablets. For TVs, the usual distance of the viewer from the screen makes it so that their melatonin levels are hardly effected at all. For computers, the highest affect on melatonin levels was the Mac's screen, which effects the levels by 34%. Tablets were a lot like phones, in that their normal brightness, does not effect melatonin levels very much. Overall, it was the brightness of the screen that changed the affect of each item on melatonin levels. So the color of the screens, like blues and reds, did not change the melatonin levels at all. At highest brightness levels, screens affect the viewer more than at regular levels but they still did not change the viewer's melatonin levels by too much. Out of all the items used, Apple products changed melatonin levels by the highest percentage!

First Full Day at the Science Intership

I met Brittany today! She's a graduate student who works for Mariana. Brittany is really nice and took the time to show me how the lab works and how she measures the wavelengths of light coming from a computer or phone. We measured the wavelengths of my iPhone 4G and found that looking at a white background on the highest brightness setting in the dark would slightly decrease someone's melatonin levels. Since melatonin helps people sleep, decreasing it would cause someone to feel more awake. I also got to measure the pupil of my eye when looking at the screen with different light intensities and backgrounds. My pupil became smaller when the phone was at its highest brightness level with a white background. This device that measures it was made by someone in the lab as well as the program they use to measure the wavelengths. I also learned about goggles that the scientists at the lab would give to their subjects. These goggles had different color lights attached and so would effect one's melatonin levels in different ways. Blue decreased the levels the most, while red decreased the levels the least. After working in the lab, we went back to Brittany's work space and I helped label test tubes that were going to be used in an experiment on November 18th. The test tubes were for peoples' saliva; melatonin levels can be measured through those samples. I learned so much today and had a lot of fun too!

Just met my mentor!

I just went to an RPI lab in downtown Troy to meet with my mentor! I learned that my mentor was working on how light effects people's melatonin levels. So if someone is working on the computer right before they go to bed their melatonin levels may decrease causing more difficulty in falling asleep. I'm excited to go back next Monday and learn more!

Goals and Characteristics of an Intern

1. My goals for my internship this year are to learn new concepts that I can apply to the world around me and to show others my findings and ideas. I want to come out of this internship as a better scientist and have a lot more knowledge on photobiology!
2. An intern should be organized, attentive, and open to new ideas. She should be prepared for each day of internship and should take notes on new observations she makes throughout her time as an intern. She should be respectful of her mentor and be able to listen and understand new concepts.