Latest News NSBRI to Fund Electronic Adjustable Power Eyeglasses By Staff Monday, November 16, 2015 12:21 AM HOUSTON—Astronauts may one day wear adjustable power eyeglasses to correct for vision changes that occur during space travel. The space specs may be provided by eVision Smart Optics, a small, Sarasota, Fla-based company that was given a grant by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) to develop electronic smart glasses that can change eye prescriptions as needed. NSBRI announced the grant last week, and said it is also funding a Stanford University-based startup company, LumosTech, which is developing a programmable mask that uses light therapy during sleep to adjust a person to a new time-zone."Liquid crystal lenses can be re-programmed electronically to adapt to an astronaut's changing vision. Additionally, the lens can be programmed with far, near & mid-range sections, or with all sections of the lens at a single focal length," said Tony Van Heugten, chief technology officer of eVision Smart Optics, an affiliate of The Egg Factory, an optics and ophthalmic technology incubator headed by entrepreneur and inventor Ron Blum.LumosTech is developing a smart sleep mask that emits pulses of light while the user sleeps, adjusting the user's sleep cycle. "Both astronauts and ground crew are often required to perform mission critical tasks at times that are at odds with their normal sleep/wake cycle. This mask will enable them to shift their normal cycle to ensure that they are alert when needed," said Vanessa Burns, CEO of LumosTech. This technology could also benefit international business travelers that must rapidly transition into different time zones. By using this sleep mask, travelers may be able to lessen the effects of jet lag and preserve their ability to perform."LumosTech and eVision Smart Optics are advancing new approaches to solve real problems experienced by astronauts as well as people on Earth. Our job is to accelerate promising technologies by providing seed funding and direction," said Dorit Donoviel, PhD, NSBRI deputy chief scientist and industry forum lead.NSBRI, a 501(c)(3) organization partnered with NASA, is studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight and developing the technologies and countermeasures needed for human space exploration missions. The Institute's science, technology and career development projects take place at approximately 60 institutions, distributed across the U.S.Click here to read more about NSBRI’s work with optical technologies.