{"id":34755,"date":"2026-02-26T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/highest-darmstadt.de\/?p=34755"},"modified":"2026-02-20T21:19:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T20:19:59","slug":"light-for-health-and-a-better-mood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/highest-darmstadt.de\/en\/news\/sucess-story-en\/light-for-health-and-a-better-mood\/","title":{"rendered":"Light for Health and a Better Mood"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
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\n Innovative mask for simulating sunlight and regulating bodily processes during shift work and jet lag <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
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Sunlight governs a wide range of processes in the human body. To make these benefits available during the dark winter months, the start-up akaris<\/strong> is developing a mask that recreates key properties of daylight\u2014aiming to boost wellbeing and performance in a short time, and to support people coping with shift work and jet lag.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n

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Jens Balasus, one of akaris\u2019 two founders, hands me what looks like a pair of ski goggles. Even though we are sitting in a well-lit office, my eyes need a moment to adjust to the glaring \u201cdaylight\u201d inside the mask. A bright sky arches overhead\u2014the sensation is reminiscent of a VR headset. In fact, the sun is only just \u201crising\u201d: at least that is what the scene inside the goggles imitates. Over time, the display transitions into a clear blue summer sky. \u201cWhen you\u2019re lying on your back, it\u2019s like being out on a meadow, looking into the distance,\u201d says akaris co-founder Alexander Herzog.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n

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That sense of wellbeing, the two founders explain, has a scientific basis. \u201cAt the Chair of Adaptive Lighting Systems and Visual Processing, we also work on the health-related components of light,\u201d they say. Like all living organisms, humans are strongly aligned with a day\u2013night rhythm\u2014reflected in performance curves and our need for sleep at night. The key control mechanism is daylight, which regulates our activity cycle via the body\u2019s own hormones such as melatonin and serotonin, and through a multitude of biochemical processes. \u201cBut we spend around 90 percent of our time indoors, where natural light can barely steer our internal clock,\u201d Herzog says.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n The akaris founders Alexander Herzog and Jens Balasus. \u00a9 akaris <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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Daylight as a Health Factor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even modern indoor lighting systems emit only parts of the sun\u2019s spectrum, the lighting engineers explain. Daylight-like illumination requires not only a combination of many specific wavelengths, but also a defined illuminance\u2014i.e., the luminous flux falling on a surface. For more than seventy years, the Chair of Adaptive Lighting Systems and Visual Processing at TU Darmstadt has researched the interdisciplinary effects of light on human health, including harmful influences such as UV radiation. \u201cYou tend to notice the positive effects of light on the body over the long term\u2014and they are used surprisingly little,\u201d Herzog says. The two scientists, who worked at neighboring desks, decided to change that.<\/p>\n

The initial idea emerged during a lunch break. \u201cWe had LED panels with a production defect that reproduced a natural sky gradient,\u201d they recall. They found the effect aesthetically appealing and strikingly natural\u2014prompting them to think about how it could be applied deliberately. A lack of sufficient daylight in winter is a common issue, yet it is crucial for preventing sleep disorders, fatigue, and the winter blues, and for reducing the effects of shift work and jet lag. Daylight lamps do exist, Balasus notes, but they are often not used at the necessary close distance. Drawing on their LED expertise and their scientific understanding of how light affects humans, the two developed the concept of a \u201clight mask.\u201d \u201cWe want to make the positive effects of light easily accessible,\u201d Balasus says. The name akaris<\/strong> is derived from the Japanese akari<\/em> (\u660e\u304b\u308a), meaning light.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to start a company,\u201d Herzog says. They found inspiration at INNODAY and similar events hosted by HIGHEST<\/strong>. \u201cWe want to make our research insights accessible through innovative products.\u201d After all, who knows that dim green light may help with migraines, that red light can support retinal regeneration, or that certain types of light flicker may influence Alzheimer\u2019s? The first version of the mask was still somewhat bulky\u2014but test users were enthusiastic. \u201cFamily and friends were immediately convinced\u2014and even HIGHEST\u2019s advisor didn\u2019t want to take the mask off,\u201d Herzog recalls. Fifteen minutes a day\u2014or two sessions of ten minutes\u2014can deliver a tangible energy boost. \u201cAfterwards I\u2019m awake and focused,\u201d Balasus says. Herzog adds: \u201cIt can demonstrably optimize performance before competitions as well.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n

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Relaxation\u2014Like Being on Holiday<\/strong><\/p>\n

The sense of horizon and distance relaxes the eyes. \u201cWe simulate sunrise and sunset, all the way to a blue sky,\u201d Balasus explains, describing how the visual presentation changes. Herzog sketches the wavelength distribution of conventional LED lights, which typically show a pronounced gap in the spectrum. \u201cThat spectral gap can be a problem for the human circadian clock in winter,\u201d he says. Thanks to their expertise, they can reproduce the visible portion of the daylight spectrum with high precision\u2014without harmful UV radiation or blue-light damage. A follow-up model is more compact and features a more refined design. Since the start of the year, product designer Erika Martinez Duque<\/strong> has been supporting the team. The next target is to produce a modern lifestyle wearable; certification as a medical device would be expensive and time-consuming.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Together with HIGHEST<\/strong>, the team applied for an EXIST<\/strong> start-up grant last year\u2014and succeeded. Since November 2025, three positions have been funded, alongside material resources and coaching. A further advantage of EXIST is its contractual connection to the university. The head of the chair, Professor Tran Quoc Khanh<\/strong>, enables akaris to use laboratories and supports the work with studies. The company has recently filed a patent application for the mask\u2019s technology: users do not see a uniformly glowing surface\u2014\u201cthat would feel like dense fog or a snowstorm, because you lose orientation,\u201d Herzog explains\u2014but a structured \u201csky\u201d with a sense of depth. This is achieved through specially arranged and selected light sources paired with matching optics. With a bright white mask and uniform background, the eyes would constantly strain to find a reference point or pattern.<\/p>\n

The immediate goal is to further develop and test the prototype. The final design is scheduled for completion in summer, after which production is expected to begin\u2014so the product can reach the market by next winter. At present, the akaris team is building its production chain and evaluating manufacturing options in Europe and internationally. Ideally, they would like to produce in Europe\u2014\u201cbut we need to assess what\u2019s realistic,\u201d they say.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n

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Wellness, Sport, and Senior Care Homes<\/strong><\/p>\n

The founders see strong demand for the mask as a lifestyle product\u2014specifically for improving performance, optimizing sleep, and boosting mood and energy in winter. Following feedback on the prototype, the focus is now on marketing. For follow-on financing, akaris is currently exploring different options. \u201cWe want to be able to make a living from this,\u201d the inventors say confidently. Via a web shop\u2014potentially with partners in wellness and sports\u2014the mask is intended to reach a broad audience. Beyond fitness, the team is also focusing on people who, for professional reasons, must cope with changing day\u2013night rhythms. \u201cAnd people in senior care homes often suffer from sleep and rhythm disorders because they don\u2019t get enough direct daylight,\u201d Balasus adds. Further studies in cooperation with TU Darmstadt are expected to open up additional applications.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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akaris expects particularly strong demand from people experiencing the winter blues\u2014an issue that up to one fifth of the population complains about, especially in northern regions. Expansion into Scandinavia is therefore on the agenda. An app is set to be available from the outset, offering visual experiences such as \u201csunrise in Egypt,\u201d as well as breathing exercises and meditation. \u201cWe want to make the positive sides of light accessible,\u201d Balasus says. \u201cIn the long term, we want to become the leading company for light interventions,\u201d Herzog adds, describing their big ambition. Rather than merely tracking vital data like conventional fitness watches, akaris aims to actively influence\u2014and optimize\u2014sleep, performance, and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

As I leave the well-lit office after our conversation, the winter sun and blue sky outside make me smile: in its natural form, this mood booster still works remarkably well.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n

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Text: Anja St\u00f6riko<\/p>\n

Images: akaris<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n Bleib auf dem Laufenden mit dem HIGHEST-Newsletter <\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n

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