Molecular Engineering and Sciences Seminar Series
Abstract: Wearable Cyber-Physical Systems For Adaptive Correction Of Blurred Vision Refractive errors in vision occur when the eye cannot clearly focus images from the outside world. The result is blurred vision and visual impairment. Three common refractive errors are myopia (nearsightedness): difficulty in seeing distant objects, hyperopia (farsightedness): difficulty in seeing close objects and presbyopia: loss of optical accommodation (the ability to change focus). In particular, presbyopia is an inevitable age-related condition. Refractive vision errors are corrected with prescription glasses and contact lenses, but these passive devices have a number of drawbacks. In particular passive prescription lenses have no accommodation; hence they cannot restore the vision range and vision field of a normal eye for presbyopia sufferers which represent about 20% of the world population. In this talk I will present several miniaturized wearable cyber-physical systems for the adaptive correction of blurred vision currently being developed at the University of Utah. Such systems use a combination of tunable lenses, object distance sensors, and embedded control, communications and computing electronics to continuously produce full-field sharply focused images at any object range. The development of these compact electro-optic wearables represents a major advance in vision correction technology. We believe the results of this research have the potential to lead to major lifestyle improvements and data-rich treatment for millions of sufferers constrained by the limitations of today's corrective lens technologies.
This weekly seminar brings together students, faculty and invited guests from various disciplines across campus to explore current trends in molecular engineering and nanotechnology. It is a forum for active interdisciplinary discussions. These talks are open to the public and attract a diverse audience of students and faculty. |