Overview: A Trail Blending Technology, Art, and Urban Renewal
The Jinji Lake Luminous Trail in Suzhou Industrial Park stands as a bridge between digital innovation and public art. A 2024 urban renewal project, the trail upgrades lighting along Jinshuiwan Trestle Bridge and lakeside walkways, weaving smart running poles, Bluetooth sensors, and interactive lighting into two distinct experiences: a 15 km smart running trail and a 3.5 km light-chasing interactive trail. Central to this sophisticated system is the Nuvoton NUC1311 microcontroller, which underpins real-time control and reliable communication across a harsh outdoor environment.
Powering the Interactive Experience: Why NUC1311 Stands Out
The Nuvoton NUC1311 MCU operates at 5V, delivering stability and high noise immunity critical for outdoor installations near water and in humid conditions. Its compatibility with Bosch-licensed CAN Bus IP ensures robust, industrial-grade data transmission between sensors, controllers, and lighting fixtures. This mix of rugged hardware and a cohesive software ecosystem enables the Jinji Lake Trail’s interactive lighting to respond in real time to user presence, ambient conditions, and event-driven cues, creating a seamless, immersive experience for pedestrians and runners alike.
Architecture of Interaction: Smart Lighting and Sensing
Two primary trail experiences define the project: a 15 km smart running route and a 3.5 km light-chasing path. The running trail uses smart planning and AI cameras to coordinate lighting with movement and cultural tours, while the light-chasing path leverages DMX512 and Bluetooth dual-mode control. Users can select lighting effects via a mobile app, enabling personalized illumination and a dynamic storytelling medium as they explore the lakeside scenery.
Hardware and Software Integration
The NUC1311 serves as the core control unit for the interactive lighting system and smart sensors. Its 5V operation offers a reliable baseline for continuous outdoor operation, and its CAN Bus IP support ensures secure, high-speed communication across devices. This enables synchronized lighting scenes, safe operation during high humidity, and resilience against electromagnetic interference. The overall architecture benefits from a tight hardware-software integration that supports scalable expansion and maintenance.
Award-Winning Design: Recognition from Global Institutions
The Jinji Lake Luminous Trail has garnered notable international acclaim. In June, it received the Gold Award in the Innovative Lighting Design category at the 2025 MUSE Design Awards, one of the most respected honors in global design, often described as the “Oscars of design.” The project was one of only two recipients to attain the highest honor in this category, underscoring its standout innovation and design maturity.
In August, the trail earned the Award of Excellence in the Control Innovation category at the IES Illumination Awards, presented by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. Considered one of the world’s top three lighting design accolades alongside the Lighting Design Awards and the IALD International Lighting Design Awards, the IES award signifies the project’s mastery in intelligent lighting control and reliability in real-world conditions.
Industry Impact: A Model for Smart Cities and Interactive Lighting
Beyond its aesthetic and entertainment value, the Jinji Lake Luminous Trail demonstrates the practical potential of smart city initiatives. The project shows how robust MCU platforms like NUC1311 can support complex, real-time systems that integrate lighting, sensors, and user interfaces. The collaboration with Nuvoton, highlighted by ongoing support and reliable performance, exemplifies how long-term partnerships can drive large-scale public projects toward higher standards of stability, security, and user experience.
Future Prospects: Expanding Smart City Solutions
As Suzhou Industrial Park continues to champion innovative urban designs, Nuvoton Technology aims to extend its MCU solutions to more smart city applications. The Jinji Lake Trail serves as a blueprint for how microcontrollers, intelligent sensors, and adaptive lighting can transform public spaces—making them safer, more engaging, and environmentally efficient while earning international design recognition.
