SBIR-STTR Award

Aircrews and dismounted soldiers can experience several changes in ambient illumination during a single deployment; from very dark conditions inside of buildings/caves to extremely bright full sun. In addition, illumination conditions can change rapidly. The current solution for adequate eye protection is to carry multiple sets of goggles and glasses, or wear helmets with multiple visors. Eye protection that is electronically dimmable, switching rapidly between normally clear and variable transmission states is a solution. MIT-LL is developing a liquid-pixel optical shutter technology to rapidly modulate optical transmission from 85% to 15% throughout the visible spectrum. Liquid-pixel optical shutters on planar, reflective substrates have been demonstrated. Specifically, they have identified water-soluble dyes with transmission <10% in 10 µm thick cells, designed, fabricated and tested large arrays (10 mm x 10 mm) of liquid pixels, and demonstrated switching speeds <30 ms from clear to dark states for 100 µm wide pixels. The objective is to develop the fabrication processes to form the liquid-pixels optical shutters on curved and/or spherical surfaces in polymer materials. MIT-LL and Advanced Photon Sciences (APS) will translate these methods in a Phase 2 proposal which will enable the manufacture of an Electronically Dimmable Eyewear Protection Device (EDEPD).

The Department of Defense, NASA, and the industry at large has desired eyewear capable of dynamic response to changing light conditions for decades. Several technologies have been explored, however present offerings still fall short of a fully dynamic system. The current solution for adequate eye protection is to carry multiple sets of goggles, glasses, or helmets with multiple visors. Eye protection that is electronically-dimmable, switching rapidly between normally clear and variable dark transmission states is the desired solution. Advanced Photon Sciences, LLC (APS) is developing a liquid-pixel optical shutter technology to rapidly modulate optical transmission from 85% to 15% throughout the visible spectrum. The objective of Phase 2 is to extend the planar fabrication methods developed under the Phase 1 effort to a spherically compatible lens system and construct a prototype demonstrator. Garnering lessons and techniques developed under the Phase 1 effort, APS has devised a Phase 2 plan to overcome the spherical geometry challenges, demonstrate a spherical dimmable lens system, and will present a roadmap for the large-scale manufacturing of an Electronically Dimmable Eye Protection Device (EDEPD).