Finnish technology startup Pixieray has bagged $4.4 million USD in a round of fundraising with investors, including backing from the US’s Amazon Alexa Fund and UK’s Firstminute capital.
Looking to provide an AR hardware solution for people relying on glasses, Pixieray is working on an autofocusing pair of eye glasses using AR technology to improve the wearer’s vision.
The glasses use an adaptive focal point that tracks the user’s eyes and adjust in real-time, providing sharper focus and a clearer field of vision.
The patient-centred solution offers an unobtrusive and beneficial product without the need to switch between different glasses for objects close or further away.
Unobtrusive hardware is essential to creating immersive AR solutions, and Pixieray’s adaptive glasses create an immersive experience to directly assist the user.
Paul Bernard, Director at Amazon Alexa Fund who invested in Pixieray explains:
“The team has a compelling vision […] for advancing the state of the art in corrective eyewear in a way that moves computing to the background and makes it truly ambient”
Developers are testing prototypes on far-sighted volunteers to help with reading, potentially providing an alternative to prescription eye glasses.
Niko Eiden, Pixieray CEO, said:
“If you’re looking far out, you will have the best possible glasses for driving, and and if you’re reading, you will again have the best possible glasses”
Nike Eiden, co-founder and board member of Varjo, a leading virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headset provider, has been working in AR for years and brings his experience along with fellow alumni and co-founders Klaus Melakari, Rebecca Xu, Ville “Wili” Miettinen, and Roope Rainisto.
The news comes as Varjo’s developers push extensive research and development (R&D) to launch the solution in the industrial sector to provide improved vision for workers wearing helmets.
While athletes and first responders could also potentially use the product, Pixieray are targeting the consumer market first.
Pixieray are expected to launch the glasses by 2023, with the team hoping to perfect the solution as they seek partners to produce the eyeglasses in the near future.
