
“This is the first time that research like this has ever been done in a naturalistic environment,” said Gibbons, program leader of the infrastructure-based safety systems group at VTTI. By using the extensive capabilities of the Virginia Smart Roads, they were able to conduct their study with three participant groups to the specifications of current roads and lighting scenarios, earning their research a spot in the Clocks & Sleep journal. Ron Gibbons and Rajaram Bhagavathula in collaboration with neuroendocrine researchers, George Brainard and John Hanifin from Thomas Jefferson University, were the first to conduct this kind of research on a realistic road environment in a study sponsored by the Department of Energy.

The groundbreaking research conducted at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) found that blue light from LED road lighting does not have any significant impact on road user salivary melatonin levels.

New research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute is shining a light on lighting uncertainties. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between effect and affect. Here’s an example of effect and affect used correctly in the same sentence.Įxample: It’s unclear what immediate effects the new law will have or how it will affect future generations. You can also remember how effect and affect are most commonly used by using the acronym RAVEN: You can remember that affect is most commonly used as a verb because it begins with a, for action. However, these senses of the words are much less commonly used. Complicating things further is the fact that effect can also be used as a verb (meaning to make happen, as in We can only effect change by taking action) and affect can also be used as a noun (referring to a state of emotion, as in He had a sad affect). Remembering the difference between the words can be especially hard because these senses of the words have just about the same pronunciation.

Affect is most commonly used as a verb meaning to act on or produce a change in someone or something. Effect is most commonly used as a noun meaning a result or consequence.
