Twenty milliseconds. It's the time the glasses take Lensare They darken when they detect light that's dangerous for those with photosensitive epilepsy. A blink lasts about 300 milliseconds, making these glasses fifteen times faster than our natural response. --Mark Campbell, 19, developed this intelligent system for epileptics that combines LCD lenses, environmental sensors and predictive algorithms.
The result convinced the jury of the James Dyson Award, which awarded it the New Zealand national prize. The device costs less than 50 euros to produce, is already functional, and could significantly change the lives of thousands of people who currently have to choose between wearing permanent dark glasses or risking epileptic seizures every time they leave the house.
The problem that no one had really solved
Photosensitive epilepsy affects approximately 10% of epileptic patients Under 20. For them, intermittent light stimuli, screens, strobe lights, or even simple reflections can trigger seizures. Until now, there were essentially two solutions: glasses with permanently tinted lenses or screen contrast reduction. The first approach works, but forces the wearer to see the world through a constant filter. The second limits the use of technology, which is impractical in 2025.
Campbell identified the limitation: why always obscure if the problem only occurs in specific situations? His solution uses liquid crystal lenses (LCD) capable of changing their opacity in real time, activating only when the sensors detect potentially dangerous light patterns.
LCD lenses, sensors, algorithms: Campbell's approach is that of an engineer who doesn't settle for existing solutions. It works because he doesn't try to block everything, but only what's needed.
How Lensare, the glasses that protect epileptics, works: sensors, LCD, and speed
The system is based on three components integrated into the frame. environmental sensors They constantly monitor the surrounding light, analyzing frequencies and patterns. predictive algorithm assesses in real time whether the light stimulus falls within the risk parameters for photosensitive epilepsy. When a potential danger is detected, the LCD lenses they darken in less than 20 milliseconds.
Speed is of the essence. According to recent studies published on Cell Reports Physical ScienceSmart lenses for epileptics must react before the brain fully processes the visual stimulus. Lensare's 20 milliseconds fall well within this safety window.
Campbell 3D printed over a hundred components to refine the prototype. He integrated a control button that allows users to adjust the system's sensitivity, making it customizable to individual needs. This is a significant detail: photosensitive epilepsy varies from person to person, and what triggers a seizure in one patient may not affect another.
From the Dyson Award to the Market: Next Steps
Il James Dyson Award It rewards inventions that solve real problems with practical and scalable solutions. Lensare meets all these criteria: it's a functional, affordable (less than €50 in production costs), and portable device. But before commercialization, Campbell is working on obtaining a full patent and validating it through clinical trials in collaboration with medical institutions.
He collaborated with the Dr. Hannah Jones, pediatric neurologist, and with Peter Bergin, director of the epilepsy surgery program at theAuckland hospitalThis collaboration with industry experts was crucial to calibrating the sensing parameters and ensuring that the system works in real-world situations, not just in the laboratory.
Glasses for epileptics: real prospects
Campbell's story shows that medical innovation doesn't necessarily require billion-dollar laboratories. What it does require is observation, collaboration, and the ability to look at a problem from a different perspective. Permanent dark glasses have been around for decades. Contrast-reducing screens, too. But no one had thought of making the lenses react only when necessary.
From our website lensare.com There's a waiting list for those who want to be among the first to test the device. The financial support from the Dyson Prize will help complete the clinical trials and accelerate the patenting process. If all goes as planned, we could see Lensare on the market within a couple of years.
And perhaps, for the first time, those suffering from photosensitive epilepsy will be able to see the world normally without having to choose between safety and quality of life.
