When jogging, walking, or traveling at night the placement of lighting can add or detract from the much necessary safety factor. Each type of travel, whether a motorcycle, boat, aircraft, or even human powered walking will require a slightly different strategy in design. How so you ask?
Well, for instance, I can remember when I was much younger racing thru the canyons on my motorcycle, which had a very bright square headlight. It was very easy to over drive the headlight around corners and then all of a sudden a deer would be in or along side the road. When you hit a bump it took a split second to get your bearings back and that meant letting off the gas and that means slowing down, defeating the purpose of racing around for thrill. So for a night headlight on a motorcycle a flat oval beam would be best and two of them; one facing close and one far. The far light could be less oval in its signature than the near light as it needs to shine far ahead without interfering with oncoming cars otherwise a disoriented driver might hit you head on.
In addition to those who make reference of reference points changes (light reference planes) while traveling and the need for a constant horizon ahead to help the brain-eye coordination, this is also an important fact to consider. And it is especially important in aviation landing lights on small aircraft. Without such properly mounted lights, which could shine at a distance one could increase an ever so slight vertigo effect. I know when flying at night turning base to final in a small single engine Piper Super Cub, as the light swung around you needed to be looking out, not closing your eyes or staring at anything inside the cockpit.
For someone walking, marching or hiking thru the forest or just over uneven stricken concrete sidewalks from tree roots proper strategies employed in lighting would prevent tripping and falling, especially if the individual were solely relying on the light they were carrying or had mounted to them; for instance no streetlights or moon.
The more one got use to relying on the light the more critical the issue is, having gotten use to using the light to maintain their bearings. In an area such as a neighborhood you know where such hazards are of course and which houses are prone to having kids Big Wheels left on the sidewalk, but for walking in an area you are not so familiar with, there is a problem to a much larger degree of course. And for a light for walkers or joggers, the beam and the strength or brightness of the light matter immensely.
When designing any type of mounted light or hand held flashlight designers must be certain of how it will be used and use such knowledge to help people and users. One must consider the lost sole in the forest, sailboat owner walking on a dock or even a couple walking home from a BBQ in the dark with a few drinks in them. I challenge engineers and designers to strive to bring the best possible lighting technologies to the human race as our safety and well being depend on it, please be thinking here.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/