Imagine trying to take a clear photo through a wavy piece of glass; that's what happens when doctors look into the eye or brain. This technology acts like a smart, flexible lens that fixes those distortions in real-time. Instead of using bulky mirrors, it lets light pass straight through, making high-end imaging equipment smaller and much cheaper.
High-resolution adaptive optics are currently too expensive, bulky, and complex for wide adoption, limiting advanced cell imaging to a few elite hospitals and labs.
A market-ready Deformable Phase Plate (DPP) that corrects optical imperfections in transmission, including optimized anti-reflection coatings and force-enhanced architectures.
If you are a diagnostic provider dealing with the high cost of retinal imaging—where specialized systems currently cost €150,000-300,000—this project developed Deformable Phase Plates that enable high-resolution cell imaging in living eyes. This allows for earlier detection of blindness-causing diseases using more affordable, plug-and-play hardware.
If you are a research facility dealing with the inability to see neurons deep in brain tissue, this project developed a transmission-based adaptive optics system. It allows for real-time imaging of dynamic processes inside living cells without needing to redesign existing microscopes.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with nanometer-scale defects that are hard to spot, this project developed a high-resolution imaging component. It integrates into existing inspection systems to correct optical imperfections in real-time.
Current specialized systems cost between €150,000 and €300,000. The project aims to democratize this technology by reducing costs and complexity through a transmission-based design.
Yes, the project focuses on transferring production to qualified European foundries and evaluating roll-to-roll membrane manufacturing to reduce cycle times.
Phaseform is a University of Freiburg spinoff and has already secured a strong IP portfolio during its transition from prototype to product development.
The Deformable Phase Plate works in transmission, meaning it can be integrated as a plug-and-play component without requiring a full optical redesign of the microscope or imaging system.
The project is a 24-month EIC Accelerator initiative running from October 2024 to September 2030.
The project is led by a single SME, Phaseform GmbH, based in Germany. With a 100% industry ratio and no university or research partners in the consortium, the focus is entirely on commercialization, manufacturing industrialization, and market entry rather than basic research.
Contact Phaseform GmbH in Germany for partnership opportunities in ophthalmic diagnostics.
Contact us to find integration partners for adaptive optics in your imaging pipeline.
