Universiteit Gent

Imec Vzw

Imec

Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (imec)

Stichting Imec Nederland

Gemidis N.v.

Herbert De Smet

Jelle De Smet

Andres Felipe Vasquez Quintero

Rik Verplancke

Geert Van Doorselaer

Jean Van Den Steen

André Van Calster

Roel Beernaert

Chris Van Liempd

Example embodiments relate to an electro-optical component. One embodiment includes an electro-optical component for adaptive visual correction. The component includes a first transparent substrate. The component also includes a second transparent substrate. Additionally, the component includes an optical structure disposed on the first transparent substrate. Further, the component includes a liquid-crystal gap located between the optical structure and the second transparent substrate. Even further, the component includes a first transparent electrode and a second transparent electrode located on opposite sides of the liquid-crystal gap. Still further, the component includes a plurality of spacers located in the liquid-crystal gap between the second transparent substrate and the optical structure. The plurality of spacers includes at least one spacer having a different height than another spacer of the plurality of spacers.

Electro-optical component

A smart contact lens () for detecting a ratiometric change in an incident light () intensity is provided, including one or more, preferably concentric, rings (---N) of a liquid crystal display, LCD, type, each ring being operable between a state having a lower attenuation of light and a state having a higher attenuation of light; a circuit () for detecting a ratiometric change in an incident light intensity; and a controller () configured to operate the one or more rings based on an intensity of an incident light and to, as a response to the circuit () detecting a ratiometric change in the intensity of the incident light from a higher intensity state to a lower intensity state indicating that at least a beginning of a blinking of an eye of a user has occurred, initiate a re-polarization of the one or more rings. A method of operating the smart contact lens and various uses of the circuit are also provided.

Smart contact lens with ratiometric light change detection

An optical lens device has an actively controllable focal length. This device comprises an element with lensing effect comprising a plurality of regions. Each such region has a corresponding refractive power for providing a corresponding focal length distinct from the focal length of at least one other region of this plurality of regions. The device further comprises at least one non-centric addressable optical element integrated in or provided on the element with lensing effect. This at least one addressable optical element is adapted for changing the transmittance of at least one of the plurality of regions in response to a control signal. The device also comprises a control means for generating the control signal.

Active multifocal lens

A method of operating by pulse width modulation a micromirror device is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes providing a micromirror device having a micromirror element electrostatically deflectable around a rotation axis between a first and second position. The micromirror element is controllable by applying voltage signals to a first and second electrode on one side of the rotation axis and a third and fourth electrode on the other side. The method includes associating an intermediate value of intensity to the micromirror element during a time frame, the intensity being between a first value corresponding to the first position and a second value corresponding to the second position. The method includes switching the micromirror element between the first and second position. The intermediate value corresponds to the ratio of periods in the time frame in which the micromirror element is in the first or second position.

Method for operating a micromirror device with electromechanical pulse width modulation

The present invention provides an array of pixels, each pixel comprising: a pixel element, a pixel refresh circuit, a first memory element and a first switch element. Each pixel element comprises a first pixel electrode for individual control of the pixel element and a second pixel electrode, the second pixel electrode linking substantially all pixel elements in the array and being connected to a common counter-electrode. The first and second pixel electrode form a first capacitor. The pixel element has a threshold voltage and a modulation voltage. The pixel refresh circuit is intended for transferring electric charge related to a pixel data value from a data input of the pixel to the first pixel electrode via a charge transfer path. The first memory element is coupled to the pixel data input for storing electric charge related to the pixel data value. The first switch element is located between the first memory element and the first pixel electrode, and is for controlling charge transfer from the first memory element through the charge transfer path to the first pixel electrode. According to the present invention, the first switch element and the first memory element co-operate to transfer charge related to the pixel data value passively along the charge transfer path to the first capacitor. According to the present invention, the array further comprises means for applying a dynamically changing voltage to the common counter-electrode, the dynamically changing voltage changing between a first driving value and a second driving value so that the pixel data value is a signal comprised between zero volts and a data voltage value, the data voltage value being not smaller than the modulation voltage and smaller than the sum of the modulation voltage and the threshold voltage of any of the pixels elements. The present invention also provides a method for refreshing pixel values of an array of pixels.

Refresh pixel circuit for active matrix

A projection system comprising a light source is disclosed, wherein the light source comprises at least two light emitters arranged to be optically positionable alternately in a first position and a second position by an optical positioning means wherein said optical positioning means is arranged to change the light emission from said light emitters to a preferred optical path being said first position, a power source arranged to empower said light emitters, wherein the light emitter optically positioned in said first position is empowered by said power source and the light emitter optically positioned in said second position is not empowered.

Growing community of inventors

Destelbergen, Belgium

Herbert De Smet