Descrizione del progetto
Vedere bene con i nuovi doppietti ripieni di liquido
Intorno ai 40 anni, l’occhio umano inizia a perdere la capacità di adattarsi e mettere a fuoco sulle brevi distanze. Si tratta della ben nota perdita della vista da vicino (presbiopia) legata all’età. Il progetto SEECLEAR, finanziato dall’UE, sta sviluppando occhiali adattivi per la correzione della presbiopia. Ciò che li distingue dagli altri occhiali è il fatto di offrire una visione chiara a tutte le distanze senza livellare gli standard estetici. In che modo il progetto è riuscito a realizzare ciò? Con un rivoluzionario doppietto riempito di fluido attivato da attuatori microfluidici a bassa potenza inseriti nei bracci degli occhiali e guidati da un sensore di distanza a infrarossi in miniatura. La lente offre anche un ampio campo visivo. Inoltre, è trasparente e compatibile con la maggior parte delle forme di lenti e degli stili di montatura.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
- 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
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Invito a presentare proposte
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoBando secondario
H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1
Meccanismo di finanziamento
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinatore
69008 LYON
Francia
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