Ashwin-Ushas Corporation SBIR Phase I Award, September 2020

With regard to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Eyewear technologies, a major occupational hazard in high risk occupations such as manufacturing, mining, construction, warehousing, environmental remediation/- cleanup, biomedical cleanup, and in work needing protection against bio-particles, chemical agents and nanomaterials, but one which has received very limited attention to date, is that associated with the worker transitioning from very bright to dark areas; fogging of PPE exacerbates this. The PPE wearer critically needs automated, hands-free light/dark (L/D) and defogging control, while accommodating prescription lenses. Per OSHA/DoL, 5,147 workers were killed on the job in 2017 (3.5/100,000), with 20.7% in construction, a slightly smaller number in indoor/outdoor warehousing; non-fatal injuries are many times this; a significant portion of these are ascribable to L/D transition, fogging and prescription lens issues. Current PPE technologies, e.g., photochromics (needing UV light, not working indoors/in cars), clip-on sunshades, are grossly inadequate; indeed, US Army Public Health Command specifically prohibits photochromics/clip-ons for military personnel; OSHA strongly recommends against them. Other electrochromics (changing color with andlt;5VDC applied voltage), e.g. those based on metal oxides, Conducting Polymers (CPs), LCDs and nanocrystals, have shown poor performance. For defogging, superhydrophilic, surfactant coatings, double- pane polycarbonate, remain inadequate. Thus, an effective eyewear technology, combining electrochromism with good defogging capability and prescription lenses, would eminently address this occupational hazard. Now in very recent prior/ongoing work, this firm has developed, patented a new electrochromics technology, based on unique, matched-dual-polymer CP electrochromics, overcoming drawbacks preventing commercial electrochromic eyewear heretofore. Typical performance: L/D contrast 1% - 70% (vs. air reference); thin (andlt; 0.4 mm), flexible, durable; unique applied-V algorithm yields switching times of andlt;2s L→D, ~instantaneous D→L; automated-function (photosensor-based); very low power (72h with 12 L/D/L switches per h before batteries need recharging; 15 µW/cm2, +/- 3.0 VDC); conforming to ANSI Z87.1-2015, US military (APEL) specifications. We have also developed a unique, active defogging technology. Combining our proven electrochromics/defogging technology with prescription lenses will however require a radical redesign of our current frames/layout. The proposed work will: study 2 different designs for prescription lens incorporation; develop 2 eyewear versions: hermetically-sealed (~biohazard) + non-sealed; develop spectacles/goggles for more, less hazardous workplaces; incorporate voice-activated + humidity-sensor- activated defogging; extensively test/optimize; assess manufacture; finalize commercial partnerships; resulting, andlt;$100 product will be first commercially viable electrochromics + defogging + prescription eyewear, drastically upgrading PPE. Ancillary markets (skiwear, motor sports, bicycling, football, military) may further lower cost.With regard to Personal Protective Eyewear equipment technologies (PPE), a major occupational hazard in high risk industrial sectors and occupations such as manufacturing, mining, construction, environmental remediation/-cleanup, biomedical cleanup, and warehousing (as substantiated in recent OSHA statistics), but one which has received very limited attention to date, is that associated with the worker transitioning from very bright to dark areas, the accompanying fogging of protective eyewear, and the need to accommodate users with prescriptions [1-4]; this is especially amplified in, e.g., protective suits worn in biomedical (e.g. Ebola/Zika) and other bio-/environmental-hazard work, which must generally be worn in hot, humid, sunny environments. Now in very recent prior and ongoing work overcoming drawbacks of prior electrochromic as well as photochromic and defogging technology [3-11], this firm has developed [12] and patented [13] a new electrochromics technology, based on unique, matched-dual-polymer conducting polymer (CP) electrochromics, with excellent performance, overcoming drawbacks preventing practical, commercial electrochromic eyewear heretofore [1-11]; electrochromic spectacles and goggles have been demonstrated with photosensor-based, automated, Li-battery-powered function, and a new, active anti-fogging technology has been combined with this electrochromics technology, with eyewear having combined electrochromic + defogging function, defogging in less than 4 seconds, and showing excellent electrochromic performance and low power consumption. The proposed work will leverage this to develop PPE with combined, electrochromics + antifogging + prescription lens capability; the latter will require a radical redesign of our current frames and layout. The work will result in practical PPE suitable for use in all the above-identified applications; it will also address high-volume-manufacture issues, with major eyewear manufacturer partners identified; it will eventually lead to a commercially viable, inexpensive (est. andlt;$100 production cost), PPE product that combines electrochromism + anti-fog + prescription lens functionalities for the first time; potential extensions to the military (soldier-use) and recreational (e.g. skiwear, bicycling, motor sports, football) markets, will further lower costs for the occupational safety market; the potential to eventually replace the est. $2.5 billion photochromics market also exists.