SBIR Phase I: Single shot coded Photo-Refraction to Measure High-Order Aberrations as a Low-Cost Add-On for Smart Phones

这项小企业创新研究第一阶段项目是一项屡获殊荣的自我测试诊断技术的成功组成部分，该技术可以测量屈光不正并检测人眼的高阶像差。全球共有42亿人需要佩戴矫正眼镜；其中25亿人无法获得适当的护理。该项目将支持在移动平台上研究和开发编码光折射系统设备。其目标是实现客观的自我诊断近视、远视、散光和选择高阶像差，其成本仅为当今主流技术的一小部分，而且精度高且易于使用。提出的解决方案从患者视网膜后面捕获图像，并利用图像处理技术来计算结果。原始图案是从光源投射出来的，并且会根据每个患者的个人视觉需求而出现变形。传感器捕获这种畸形，并将矩阵转换为屈光不正测量和高阶诊断。当这种便携式硬件附加组件与智能手机应用程序配对时，预期的结果是个性化的视力保健，任何人都可以随时随地获得并负担得起。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是最终赋予患者权力并提高眼睛健康意识。这项创新不仅可以作为个性化视力保健的综合平台，还可以提供端到端解决方案，可按需访问医疗保健提供商和履行渠道。视力丧失会带来严重的社会耻辱，并阻碍平等机会。此外，越来越多的人认为高阶像差会对眼睛的视觉性能产生负面影响（除了屈光不正）。2010年，全球视力丧失的成本接近3万亿美元。然而，这一问题的根源并不在于硬件供应链，因为眼镜制造商目前的平均生产成本为3美元/件。相反，今天的诊断工具（无论光学技术多么先进）都极其昂贵和笨重，需要经过临床培训才能操作，而且无法利用现代移动计算的强大功能。这个项目将帮助实现这样一个世界：患者可以管理自己的眼科护理体验（即测量屈光不正、诊断高阶像差、查看过去的检查记录、联系眼科医生和购买眼镜）。特别是，该项目将成为加快公司整体商业努力和优化市场定位的关键一步。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is integral to the success of an award-­winning self-­test diagnostic technology that measures refractive errors and detects higher-order aberrations of the human eye. A total of 4.2 billion people worldwide require corrective eyewear; of these, 2.5 billion lack access to proper care. This project will support the research and development of a coded photorefraction system device on a mobile platform. The goal is to achieve objective self-­diagnosis of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and select higher-­order aberrations at a fraction of the cost of today's dominant technologies with uncompromised precision and great ease-of-use. The proposed solution captures an image from behind the patient's retina and leverages image-processing techniques to compute the results. The original pattern is projected from a light source and will appear deformed with respect to each patient's individual vision needs. A sensor captures this deformity and translates the matrix into a refractive error measurement and higher-order diagnosis. When this portable hardware add-on is paired with a smartphone application, the anticipated result is personalized vision care that is accessible and affordable to anyone from anywhere at any time.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to ultimately empower patients and raise eye health awareness. This innovation not only serves as a comprehensive platform for personalized vision care, but also delivers an end-to-end solution with on-demand access to healthcare providers and fulfillment channels. Vision loss carries significant societal stigma and inhibits equal opportunity. Furthermore, higher-­order aberrations are increasingly believed to negatively impact the eye's visual performance (in addition to refractive errors). The global cost of vision loss in 2010 was nearly $3 trillion. However, the origin of this problem does not lie in the hardware supply chain, as eyeglass manufacturers are currently achieving average production costs of $3/unit. Instead, today's diagnostic tools (no matter how optically advanced) are absurdly expensive and cumbersome, require clinical training to operate, and fail to leverage the power of modern-day mobile computing. This project will help to realize a world where patients can curate their own eye care experience (i.e. measure refractive error, diagnose higher-order aberrations, review past test history, connect to eye doctors, and purchase eyewear). In particular, this project will serve as a pivotal step towards accelerating the company's overall commercial endeavor and optimizing market positioning.