Impact of Insufficient Lighting on Badminton Court Performance
1. Reduced Visual Clarity and Tracking Accuracy
Inadequate lighting lowers illuminance levels, making it difficult for players to track the shuttlecock’s trajectory. Research shows that optimized LED luminaires can improve ground illuminance by 300% compared to traditional systems, highlighting how insufficient lighting compromises shuttlecock visibility and reaction time.
2.Impaired Visual Acuity and Response Speed
Lower luminance levels during mesopic (twilight) conditions reduce visual acuity, as demonstrated in studies on the transition from photopic to mesopic vision. This degradation directly impacts players’ ability to judge shuttlecock speed and direction, leading to delayed responses.
3.Increased Risk of Fatigue and Discomfort
Suboptimal lighting forces players to exert extra effort to compensate for poor visibility, accelerating visual fatigue. Surveys reveal that players consistently rate well-lit courts as more comfortable and usable, underscoring the link between lighting quality and subjective performance.
4.Non-uniform Illumination and Shadow Effects
Poorly designed lighting systems create uneven illuminance distribution, resulting in “patchy” visibility zones. Simulations indicate that improper spacing-to-height ratios of luminaires exacerbate shadows, disrupting gameplay consistency and increasing errors.
5.Safety Concerns
Insufficient lighting heightens collision risks due to misjudged distances or obscured court boundaries. While not directly studied in badminton, analogous research on sports fields emphasizes that low illuminance correlates with higher injury rates from tripping or missteps.
Key Recommendations:
Ensure compliance with illuminance standards (e.g., 500–750 lux for amateur play).
Prioritize uniform light distribution (U₁ > 0.7) via symmetric luminaire layouts.
Adopt LED systems with high color rendering indices (CRI > 80) to enhance shuttlecock contrast.