Imagine printing a tiny, perfect camera lens using a 3D printer instead of grinding glass for weeks. This technology lets designers create custom, complex lens shapes quickly and cheaply. It's like moving from a slow, expensive custom tailor to a fast, digital 3D clothing printer for optics.
Traditional micro-optic manufacturing is slow, expensive, and relies on long global supply chains. This makes it difficult for small companies to create custom lenses and slows down the development of AR/VR hardware.
A 3D printing process for complex multiplet micro-lenses and a functional eye-tracking demonstrator for AR/VR goggles.
If you are a headset manufacturer dealing with high costs and slow supply chains for custom optics — this project developed 3D printed micro-lenses that reduce fabrication time and allow for local production. This enables faster turnaround for complex lens systems in a market growing at over 40% annually.
If you are a medical device company dealing with the need for miniaturized, specialized imaging sensors — this project developed a cost-competitive fabrication process for micro-optics. This can revolutionize medical diagnosis and treatment through improved human-machine interaction.
If you are a provider of remote repair and training tools dealing with bulky or expensive eye-tracking hardware — this project developed an industrially viable demonstrator for pupil position tracking. This allows for more affordable, integrated eye-tracking in goggles for customer monitoring.
The project specifically aims to lower the manufacturing cost per part to reach numbers below existing technologies, making it affordable for smaller businesses.
The project is developing a cost-competitive fabrication process and a sustainable business model to move from a proof-of-concept to an industrially viable demonstrator.
Based on available project data, the technology was developed by Harald Giessen's group and is now being commercialized through the company Printoptix GmbH.
The project runs from June 2023 to May 2026, focusing on creating an investor-ready business plan and a functional demonstrator.
The project is collaborating with Viewpointsystem GmbH to integrate 3D printed micro-optics into AR/VR goggles for infrared pupil tracking.
The consortium is highly lean and commercially focused, consisting of 2 SMEs from Germany and Austria. With a 100% industry ratio and no university or research institute partners, the project is structured for rapid commercialization and market entry rather than academic exploration.
Contact Printoptix GmbH in Germany for licensing and partnership inquiries.
Contact us to connect with the Printoptix team for custom micro-optic fabrication.
