Recently, optical giant Zeiss announced that it has reached a cooperation agreement with Swiss AR/VR company Creal to jointly develop a new digital vision healthcare platform based on light field display technology, planning to completely revolutionize existing vision diagnosis and treatment procedures.

Light field display is a method that utilizes ray tracing to reconstruct 3D scenes in space, and is currently the most likely practical 3D display technology. Compared with holographic display technology, which is also a true 3D display technology, light field display has smaller data volume, lower cost, and smaller volume.

Zeiss will introduce CREAL's light field display technology to create a device that can digitally reproduce real refractive testing. The new device will be able to virtually simulate traditional glasses and contact lenses, eliminating the need to switch lenses repeatedly. Objects in front of us will be displayed at different focal lengths, and through precise digital imaging, it will help medical staff quickly and accurately provide diagnosis and personalized treatment plans for patients.

Since the rise of artificial intelligence technology, Zeiss' tentacles in this field have also continued to extend. The company previously collaborated with Apple to develop specialized prescription lenses for nearsighted users. Joining hands with Creal is expected to accelerate the modernization process of traditional vision testing technology and promote the arrival of "metaverse" ophthalmic solutions.

Revolutionary century old traditional technology, "metaverse" ophthalmic solution

Currently, many refractive tests still rely on manual operation and traditional lenses, with complex and time-consuming processes that result in low diagnostic efficiency, especially in large hospitals or busy clinics where waiting times are daunting. This not only increases the workload of medical staff, but also causes difficulties for many visually impaired groups.

Taking the United States as an example, over two-thirds of people wear glasses or contact lenses, and frequent vision checks have become a part of their lives. However, the problem of myopia is still worsening globally, and it is expected that by 2050, half of the world's population will be affected by myopia. This means that the demand for vision testing will significantly increase, and the existing detection modes and equipment are clearly unable to meet the increasingly large market demand in the future. Change has become inevitable.

The collaboration between Zeiss and Creal, two technological pioneers, will accelerate the modernization process of century old vision testing technology and promote the arrival of "metaverse" ophthalmic solutions.

It is reported that CREAL's light field display technology can simulate the lighting effects in reality and generate digital images with realism and depth. This technology can not only reproduce any physical or theoretical lens, but also adjust the testing content according to the needs of different age groups or groups, significantly reducing the investment of clinical resources.

In CREAL's AR vision care platform, all types of refractive correction such as spherical, astigmatism, and prism can be displayed side by side, greatly simplifying the process for patients to choose the best vision correction effect.

By projecting digital images, CREAL's light field technology can display any refractive power based on the decision of the ophthalmologist. This means that the images and new optical testing symbols can be more modern and closer to the daily living environment of patients.

Whether it is 2D, 3D or gamified animation content, it can be displayed according to special needs, suitable for children, eye stimulation training or other application scenarios.

Optical giants delve deeper into the technology arena

It is worth noting that this is not Zeiss' first layout in the field of headsets. As early as 2014, the company launched the first generation mobile virtual reality headset VR ONE. As an early product, VR One relied on smartphones as display screens, allowing users to plug their phones into the device and experience immersive virtual reality content.

In 2016, its iterative product VR One Plus was launched, still using smartphone driven virtual reality experience, but with significant improvements in compatibility and details. One year later, VR for the gaming market - One Connect emerged. Its appearance is similar to the previous two generations, with the addition of a Steam VR compatible system and two controllers, allowing users to experience hundreds of Steam VR video games and experiences.

On March 8, 2023, Zeiss Investment acquired all shares of AR glasses company Tooz as the company's AR/VR solution research and development center, independently promoting the development and integration of AR and optical products. The AR smart glasses concept design "ESSNZ SLIM" is the first product released by Tooz after the acquisition, which combines AR technology, fashion, and optical correction functions.

In June of the same year, the Apple Vision Pro made its debut, and Zeiss, as its exclusive supplier of prescription lenses, also received much attention. It is reported that the lens adopts a magnetic suction design, providing customized solutions specifically for vision correction users, ensuring that they are not affected by vision problems when enjoying augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) content.

In this collaboration with CREAL, Zeiss plans to significantly simplify the vision testing process, enhance the experience for patients and ophthalmologists, and inject new momentum into the global vision care industry by introducing its light field display technology.

Dr. Antia Alonso, Vice President of Vision Technology Solutions at Zeiss, said, "As a pioneer in the field of optics, Zeiss has always been committed to pushing the boundaries of technology. Through our collaboration with CREAL, we hope to completely revolutionize the current purchasing and fitting processes for glasses and contact lenses, making them more in line with modern user needs

Virtual technology shining into reality

In recent years, with the rapid rise and penetration of the concept of metaverse, the application of AR/VR technology in the medical field has continued to expand, such as Apple Vision Pro assisted endoscopic surgery, Microsoft HoloLens holographic assisted spinal surgery, and Google AR microscope library assisted cancer cell detection

Although the popularity of the metaverse is gradually fading, VR medical products continue to emerge. As of now, 69 AR/VR medical devices or platforms have obtained FDA approval.

According to the latest market research report, the global medical AR/VR industry market size is estimated to be over 1.9 billion US dollars in 2020. From 2021 to 2026, the AR/VR healthcare market will grow at a rate of nearly 35% per year, and the market size will exceed 40 billion US dollars, far exceeding the scale of the VR healthcare market in 2020.

Source: http://qixieke.com/Font/index/detailPage.html?id=3187-19