While most companies showcased their smart glasses at this year's CES, traditional eyeglasses have remained largely unchanged for decades. The last major innovation in the world of eyewear, multifocal progressive lenses, has been around since the 1950s. Finnish startup IXI is now preparing to end this stagnation. The company aims to offer a strong alternative to classic multifocal and bifocal lenses with its autofocusing glasses.
Solution for Presbyopia
The glasses developed by IXI specifically target age-related presbyopia, a common problem in individuals over 45. The system combines liquid crystal-based lenses with camera-free eye-tracking technology. When the glasses detect a change in the user's gaze focus, the lenses automatically activate to provide the appropriate optical correction. This ensures dynamic and instantaneous focusing, rather than fixed transition zones found in classic multifocal lenses.
In terms of design, IXI maintains a traditional eyewear look despite the advanced technology. The prototype frame, weighing only 22 grams, has a simple and lightweight structure that is indistinguishable from ordinary glasses.
Camera-Free Eye Tracking
According to Niko Eiden, the company's co-founder and CEO, LEDs and photodiodes placed around the lens frames send invisible infrared light to measure reflections. This allows the detection of micro-movements of the eyes, the convergence of both eyes during focusing, gaze direction, and even blinking. Unlike camera-based systems, this method offers a significant energy advantage. Reportedly, the entire system's power consumption is only 4 milliwatts, making IXI's glasses usable all day long.
Memory, sensors, driver electronics, and the eye-tracking module are primarily located in the front part of the glasses and near the hinge sections of the temples. The batteries used in the prototype are similar in size to those found in AirPods. According to IXI, a single charge is sufficient for all-day use.
Furthermore, the glasses do not become completely inoperable if the battery runs out. In such a case, the system continues to function as standard prescription glasses, with only the near vision support being deactivated.
Advantage of Liquid Crystal Lenses
IXI's lenses consist of liquid crystal layers and transparent ITO (indium tin oxide) conductive layers. This extremely thin structure can change its optical power almost instantly, providing the necessary vision correction.
The potential of the company's technology is not limited to this. The sensor infrastructure can infer dry eye detection, attention level estimation, and even neck posture and head movements based on blink frequency, focus status, and gaze direction. The collected data can be presented to the user via an accompanying mobile application. According to the company, in later stages, the system will have the potential to dynamically adjust the optical correction applied by the lenses by analyzing daily eye fatigue.
Release Date: 2027
IXI is continuing its efforts to complete the necessary medical certification processes to bring the product to market. For production, a partnership has been established with Swiss lens manufacturer Optiswiss. The final product is planned to be positioned in the high-end luxury eyewear category and sold through existing optical stores. The company aims to launch its first commercial model next year.
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