See Far · Project

Smart Glasses That Help Aging Workers See Better and Stay Productive

healthTestedTRL 6

Imagine your experienced workers starting to struggle with their vision as they age — reading labels, checking screens, or inspecting parts becomes harder every year. This project built smart glasses that automatically adjust to each person's eyesight problems using augmented reality, almost like having a personal optician built into your safety goggles. On top of that, there's a phone app that takes pictures of the back of the eye to spot early warning signs of diabetes or heart disease. Together, these tools help older employees keep working safely while catching health risks before they become serious.

By the numbers

consortium partners involved in development

countries across the consortium

industry partners in the consortium

SME partners bringing commercial perspective

key components: smart glasses and mobile screening app

total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Europe's workforce is aging, and vision loss is one of the most common age-related conditions that forces experienced employees out of productive roles. Companies lose institutional knowledge when skilled workers retire early due to vision problems, while undetected chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions drive up healthcare costs and absenteeism. There is no integrated workplace solution that both corrects vision in real time and screens for underlying health risks through routine use.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a working prototype and a final smart glasses device with AR-based personalized visual correction, plus a mobile application that uses a smartphone-attached ophthalmoscope to capture retinal images and predict diabetes and cardiovascular risk. In total, 12 deliverables were produced across the project lifecycle.

Audience

Who needs this

Occupational health and safety providers managing aging industrial workforcesLarge manufacturers with experienced workers approaching retirement ageCorporate wellness platforms looking for preventive health screening toolsInsurance companies seeking to reduce chronic disease claims through early detectionAssistive technology distributors serving the workplace accessibility market

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Occupational Health & Safety Services

mid-size

Target: Workplace health and safety providers managing aging workforces

If you are an occupational health provider dealing with rising vision-related incidents among older workers — this project developed smart glasses with personalized AR-based visual correction and a mobile retinal screening app. The system adapts to each user's specific vision impairment and monitors their central vision over time, helping you reduce workplace accidents and extend productive careers for aging employees.

Manufacturing & Industrial Operations

enterprise

Target: Factory operators with aging production staff

If you are a manufacturer dealing with quality control errors and safety risks from workers whose vision is declining — this project built a final smart glasses device that adjusts the display to each worker's eye condition in real time. Workers can read gauges, inspect parts, and navigate the shop floor more safely, reducing errors and keeping your most experienced people on the job longer.

Corporate Wellness & Insurance

any

Target: Employee wellness platforms and corporate insurers

If you are a corporate wellness provider or insurer looking to reduce chronic disease costs in aging workforces — this project developed a mobile application that captures retinal images through a smartphone-attached ophthalmoscope and predicts cardiovascular and diabetes risk. Early detection through routine workplace screening could help you lower long-term claims and offer data-driven prevention programs.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would the cost structure look like for deploying these smart glasses?

The project does not disclose unit pricing or licensing costs. The solution has two components — smart glasses hardware and a mobile screening app — so costs would likely include device procurement plus software licensing. Contact the consortium for commercial pricing discussions.

Can this scale to hundreds or thousands of workers across multiple sites?

The system was designed with personalization at its core — each pair of glasses adapts to the individual user's eye condition through a personalized visual assistant. Scaling would require individual calibration per user, but the mobile app component is inherently scalable through smartphones. The consortium of 14 partners across 5 countries suggests the solution was tested in multiple environments.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can we license this?

This was a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) funded by the EU, with 14 consortium partners including 5 SMEs. IP is typically shared among partners under the grant agreement. Licensing would need to be negotiated directly with the relevant consortium members who developed specific components.

Has this been tested with real workers in real workplaces?

The project produced both a prototype (See Far solution prototype 1) and a final device (See Far smart glasses final device), indicating progression through development stages. The project ran for over 3 years and the objective specifically mentions validation of the solution. Based on available project data, workplace pilot details are not specified in the deliverable descriptions.

Does the mobile app meet medical device regulations?

The mobile application captures retinal images and provides risk indicators for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Any commercial deployment as a diagnostic or screening tool would likely require medical device certification (e.g., EU MDR). Based on available project data, regulatory approval status is not specified.

How does this integrate with existing workplace safety systems?

The solution consists of 2 components: smart glasses with augmented reality and a mobile application with a smartphone-attached ophthalmoscope. The AR glasses provide real-time visual suggestions adaptive to user profiles. Integration with existing safety or HR systems would likely require custom development with the consortium's technical partners.

Is there ongoing technical support available?

The project closed in May 2022. The consortium included 7 industry partners and 4 research organizations, several of which may offer continued development or support. The project website (see-far.eu) and coordinator at Universidad de Sevilla would be the starting points for exploring ongoing availability.

Consortium

Who built it

The See Far consortium is well-balanced for bringing a health-tech product toward market. With 14 partners across 5 countries (Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Italy), it combines academic research strength (2 universities, 4 research organizations) with real commercial muscle (7 industry partners, 5 of which are SMEs). The 50% industry ratio is a strong signal — it means half the team was focused on making this commercially viable, not just scientifically interesting. The coordinator, Universidad de Sevilla, anchors the project in Spain, while the geographic spread across Southern and Northern Europe suggests the solution was designed for diverse workplace environments and regulatory contexts.

UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLACoordinator · ES
AARHUS UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNASparticipant · EL
PRISMA ELECTRONICS SAparticipant · EL
AARHUS UNIVERSITETSHOSPITALparticipant · DK
QUANTITAS SRLparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

Universidad de Sevilla (Spain) — search for the See Far project coordinator in the university's engineering or health technology departments

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the See Far smart glasses or mobile screening app for your workforce? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner — contact us for a tailored introduction.

Order a report on this topic More in Health & Biomedical