Contact Lens Integrated Physiological Sensors

Tear film biomarkers have recently emerged as a promising diagnostic tool for a range of ocular and systemic diseases. Recent advances in tear film analysis have enabled the identification of specific biomarkers that can serve as reliable indicators of various systemic conditions, such as stress, diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. To utilize the potential of using tear film biomarkers for assessment of warfighter’s stress level and physiological condition, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is seeking the development of a wearable contact lens integrated with biosensors and artificial intelligence (AI) processing capability for real-time noninvasive monitoring of physiological parameters. The smart contact lens will increase combat effectiveness in Airmen without interrupting or limiting their comfort and vision. In order to address this USAF need, Hedgefog Research Inc. (HFR) proposes to continue the development of a new Contact Lens Integrated Physiological Sensor (CLIPS) platform. In Phase I, HFR demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed approach with a single biomarker. In Phase II HFR will develop a fully functional prototype system with multiple-biomarker sensing capability that will be tested and evaluated with human subjects.