Descripción del proyecto
Buen aspecto con unos nuevos cristales dobles rellenos de líquido
Hacia los cuarenta años de edad, el ojo humano comienza a perder su capacidad para adaptarse y enfocar a distancias cortas. Esto es lo que se conoce como pérdida de visión de cerca relacionada con la edad (presbicia). El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos SEECLEAR está desarrollando unas gafas adaptativas para la corrección de la presbicia. Lo que las distingue de otras es que ofrecen una visión clara a todas las distancias sin que se vean afectados los estándares estéticos. ¿Cómo ha logrado esto el proyecto? Mediante un novedoso cristal doble relleno de líquido, manejado por actuadores microfluídicos de baja potencia que se introducen en las patillas de las gafas y que son accionados por un diminuto sensor de distancia por infrarrojos. El cristal también ofrece un amplio campo de visión. Además, es transparente y compatible con la mayoría de formas de gafa y estilos de montura.
Objetivo
Laclarée develops adaptive eyeglasses for presbyopia correction. Based on a patented technology, these eyeglasses offer presbyopes clear vision at all distances without levelling down aesthetic standards.
Presbyopia appears by age 40-45 with increasing difficulties to focus at near distances and affects 400 million people in Europe, Japan and North America. Progressive lenses, featuring a vertical gradient of optical power, are today the best compromise to presbyopia correction. Still about 10% of presbyopes are very unsatisfied with these lenses, experiencing a reduced quality of life.
Laclarée’s product has been designed to answer to this demand, corresponding to about 2 b€/y. Our solution relies on a disruptive fluid-filled doublet-lens activated by low-power microfluidic actuators inserted in the eyeglass arms and driven by a miniature infrared distance sensor. The lens offers a large field of view, is as transparent as any other ophthalmic lens and is compatible with most lens shapes and frame styles.
Laclarée’s team is highly motivated and gathers extensive skills in optics, microfluidic and vision science. The founder of Laclarée is an experienced entrepreneur, he has successfully established a world-leading company in variable optics for cameras.
The team has achieved the Proof of Concept, with a fully functional demonstrator, enabling a small scale trial with presbyopic people and raising a marked interest the ecosystem. Laclarée is preparing a seed round: a term sheet has been signed with one French and one German financial investors, discussions are ongoing with one industrial leader investor.
Laclarée would like to launch a feasibility study on the user interface: mode switching between automatic and manual operations is needed and making it natural and easy-to-use is a difficult task, considering the age of presbyopes and the constraints of the product. The success of this feasibility study is crucial for market acceptance of our eyeglasses.
Ámbito científico
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsmicrofluidics
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsoptical sensors
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managemententrepreneurship
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesoptics
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
Programa(s)
Convocatoria de propuestas
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaConvocatoria de subcontratación
H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1
Régimen de financiación
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinador
69008 LYON
Francia
Organización definida por ella misma como pequeña y mediana empresa (pyme) en el momento de la firma del acuerdo de subvención.