Smart lenses powered by Nordic automatically adjust the focal length to help enhance near and far vision

Japanese technology company ViXion Inc. has unveiled a smart glasses solution with automatic focus adjustment for both short - and far-sightedness, while being as light as regular glasses.

ViXion01S responds to a variety of visual challenges, including presbyopia (farsightedness) and nearsightedness (myopia). Weighing just 33 grams (without the outer frame lenses), the glasses measure the target distance with an integrated sensor and automatically adjust the lens shape to complement or enhance the eye's natural focusing function. The outer frame lenses are easily removable and can be customized for specific eye problems, such as astigmatism.

Seiichiro Minami, CEO of ViXion Inc., said, "ViXion01S is targeted at people over the age of 40 who suffer from presbyopia. The device is ideal for everyday activities such as reading, making models, and detailed work such as sewing. At the same time, we have received widespread recognition from professionals such as dentists, who often need to replace reading glasses, prescription glasses and magnifying glasses by hand when their hands are busy."

The nRF52840 monitors sensors and controls lens functions

The ViXion01S uses Kaga FEI's EJ2840 module, which is based on Nordic Semiconductor's nRF52840 multi-protocol system-on-chip (SoC) to monitor sensors and control all product functions. Includes lens control, sensor control, and button and buzzer functions. The nRF52840 has a powerful 64 MHz Arm® Cortex-M4 processor built specifically to support floating-point (FP) and digital signal processing (DSP) calculations in high-end wireless applications.

The nRF52840 SoC also supports Bluetooth Low energy wireless connectivity, enabling users to configure and control ViXion01S glasses on their iOS/Android smartphones via the accompanying ViXion Connect app, and enabling fast over-the-air firmware updates (OA-DFU).

The nPM1300 provides longer battery life for all-day use

The ViXion01S is equipped with a 3.7V, 150mAh lithium polymer battery that lasts about 15 hours on a 3-hour charge. This excellent endurance is due in part to the ultra-low power consumption of the nRF52840 and the Nordic nPM1300 power management integrated circuit (PMIC). The nPM1300 PMIC integrates key power management functions required for embedded Bluetooth Low energy design into a single small module, while simplifying system design for extended uptime, more efficient battery charging, and fewer components.

Seiichiro Minami said, "We want to optimize the battery capacity of this wearable device to support all-day use, while remaining compact and lightweight." This requires low-power wireless modules and efficient power management solutions. The previous generation required multiple SOCs, resulting in increased power consumption and communication difficulties between SOCs, but this upgraded solution uses a single SoC to control all device functions, and the results are significant.

"The Nordic nPM1300 PMIC initially attracted us to its power meter function, but we also appreciate its ability to achieve most of the power function without adding additional components, thereby reducing bill of material costs," says Seiichiro Minami.