Lucent Help & Support
Contact
- Email: norvynzhang@gmail.com
Lucent has no accounts, so you do not need to provide personal information when you write to us. If a reading seemed wrong, a description of the situation is enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Lucent need camera access?
Lucent uses the camera to estimate ambient light. It does not take photos, record video, or save images. Camera frames are processed on your device; the only value Lucent receives is an illuminance estimate.
You can still use Lucent without camera access. The break timer and manual marks do not depend on the camera; you just will not get light readings.
Does Lucent connect to the internet?
No. The app makes no network requests, so you can use every feature in Airplane Mode.
Why are there gaps in my history?
iOS does not allow apps to use the camera in the background, so Lucent samples only while you have it open. A gap in your history means no sample was taken during that time.
We deliberately do not interpolate. Made-up data is worse than a gap.
Why is my reading different from my light meter?
Lucent is not a light meter. It provides a camera-based estimate designed to be relatively stable and repeatable, not absolutely precise.
Why does the break interval change?
The interval adjusts to ambient light: the poorer the light, the shorter the interval.
| Illuminance | Assessment | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| < 30 lux | Too dark | 8 min |
| 30–120 lux | Dim | 13 min |
| 120–900 lux | Suitable for reading | 20 min |
| 900–3000 lux | Bright | 16 min |
| > 3000 lux | Too bright | 10 min |
These values use a 20-minute baseline. You can set the baseline to 10–30 minutes in Settings; all five bands scale proportionally, keeping their relative intervals. “Child” uses a shorter factor, and “Night” a longer one.
This is Lucent’s own suggested model, inspired by 20-20-20 and adjusted for illuminance. It is not a medical standard.
Why does the reading not keep switching near a boundary?
Band changes use hysteresis: the reading must cross 12% above a boundary to move up, and fall below 11% to move down. It will not keep switching when a reading sits near a boundary. This is deliberate.
One detail: changing a lamp’s color temperature without changing its brightness can also change the illuminance reading. In that case, Lucent says the light’s color changed; it does not say the environment became darker or brighter.
Why does Lucent not show a “comfort score”?
Because the device cannot produce an honest value for one. Percentage confidence, ISO readings, a 0–100 comfort score, and absolute screen brightness were all deliberately removed. We would rather show fewer numbers than invent one.
Why does the screen check show only a ratio?
This method cannot honestly measure the absolute brightness of a self-emissive screen. Lucent shows the ratio between the screen and its surroundings instead.
What if Focus mode silences a break reminder?
In Settings, turn on “Allow break reminders in Focus.” It is separate from “Follow Focus mode,” so you can have monitoring start automatically without allowing reminders through.
Without notification permission, the timer still works from its fixed baseline; it simply will not send reminders.
What does “Device not supported” mean?
Your device does not support ARKit ambient-light estimation. The break timer and manual marks still work; Lucent will not guess a light reading.
Can I export my records?
Yes. Choose “Export Records” in Settings to export a CSV with these columns: kind,start,end,duration_s,lux,band,scene. iOS hands the file to you through the system share sheet; we do not access it.
Unmeasured periods appear as no rows in the CSV; they are not filled with zeroes.
How do I delete my data?
Deleting the app deletes all data, including samples, manual marks, and preferences. The current version has no in-app “Clear All Records” option.
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