SBIR Phase II: Gaze-independent contactless autorefractor for self-serve eye exam kiosk.

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是通过零售店和公共场所的自助式快速视力检查亭，改善所有美国人获得视力护理和眼镜的机会。据估计，有1.75亿美国人患有视力模糊，其中3000万人生活在没有眼镜的情况下。通过与零售商、药店和超市合作，该公司有可能通过遍布美国的售货亭网络接触到大量美国人。随着70%的人口受益于眼镜，该公司快速视力检查亭的开发旨在使视力保健民主化，并消除容易获得的视力检查的差距。该项目开发了一种用于自助和自主视力检查亭的与凝视无关的非接触式自动屈光技术(GIPR)。在使用视网膜反射法的自动屈光镜中，凝视-摄像机不对准是造成精度漂移的主要因素。取消凝视对齐的要求标志着该公司发展的一个重要里程碑。GIPR设计在一次拍摄中折射了内部视野，从而提供了对受试者中心凹位置的屈光误差的测量。在第一阶段可行性项目成功的基础上，该第二阶段项目将通过优化硬件布局和改善数据处理流水线吞吐量，继续开发GIPR模块以实现商业就绪。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve access to vision care and eyeglasses for all Americans through a self-serve, rapid vision exam kiosk for retail stores and public spaces. An estimated 175 million Americans suffer from blurry vision, of which 30 million live without eyeglasses. By partnering with retailers, pharmacies, and supermarkets, the company has the potential to reach a large number of Americans via a network of kiosks spread across the US. With 70% of the population benefitting from eyeglasses, the development of the company’s rapid vision exam kiosk aims to democratize vision care and eliminate the gap in easily accessible vision exams.This project develops a gaze-independent, contactless autorefractor technology (GIPR) for use in a self-serve and autonomous vision exam kiosk. Gaze-camera misalignment is a leading contributor to accuracy drift in autorefractors using the retinal reflex method. Eliminating the gaze alignment requirement marks a significant milestone in the company’s development. The GIPR design refracts the inner visual field in a single capture, thus providing a measurement of refractive error at the subject’s foveal position. Building on the success of the Phase I feasibility project, this Phase II project will continue the development of the GIPR module towards commercial readiness by optimizing hardware layout and improving data processing pipeline throughput.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.