PixelOptics’ emPower! Self focusing glasses that can switch focus electronically.

PixelOptics has invented the first dynamic electronic spectacle lens, emPower!™ If you wear bifocals or progressive lenses, this technology will revolutionize the way you see and use your eyeglasses. emPower!™

Presbyopia is a condition associated with aging of the eye that results in progressively worsening ability to focus clearly on close objects. Symptoms include a hard time reading small print, having to hold reading material farther away, headaches, and eyestrain. Different people will have different degrees of problems. Other types of refractive errors may exist at the same time as presbyopia.

Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process. It is due to hardening of the lens of the eye causing the eye to focus light behind rather than on the retina when looking at close objects. It is a type of refractive error along with nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

PixelOpticsemPower! glasses that can switch focus electronically thanks to an embedded layer of liquid crystals. Self focusing glasses allow users to instantly adjust prescription.

The PixelOptics emPower! changes things up by sandwiching an LCD-like layer right on the lens that can be modified with an electrical charge.  That way, your specs can change focus as needed — even all on its own.

Creator PixelOptics bills it as “the most significant development in prescription eyewear in 50 years.”  While I’m not too fond of hyperbole, there could be some real truth to that, as their new dynamic electronic spectacle lens really does change things for those forced to put on fixed-focus and variable-focus lenses.

Empower electronic variable focus eyeglasses

The PixelOptics emPower! can be used in three modes: automatic, manual on and manual off.  When allowed to operate itself, it uses built-in micro-machine accelerometers in the frame to detect when you tip your head down and immediately triggers the focal area for presbyopia (it assumes you’re going to gander at something up close).  A touch sensor also sits in the frame, which you can tap to activate reading mode when set to operate manually.

Because you get the whole lens for the function, you get a wider field of view compared to progressive units, apart from allowing for less distortion.   The lenses can also be configured for all the standard eyewear extras, such as anti-scratch coating and polarization.   Like all things electronic, though, you’ll now have to juice your glasses, which come with a hidden rechargeable battery module.

  • When “manual on” was set, the wearer could change the power of the lenses by making a quick swiping motion with a finger against the temple of the frame. With a second swipe, the magnifying power disappeared, enabling a large, unobstructed field of view for distance vision.
  • When “manual off” was set, the near power disappeared, so no unwanted magnification got in the way of distance and intermediate vision for driving, watching television, sports activities, etc.
  • When “automatic” was set, added magnifying power appeared in the lower portion of the lens when the wearer lowered his or her head to read, and disappeared when the head returned to an upright position.

 

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