Two European startups have developed groundbreaking tools, including real-time autofocus glasses that adjust to where you look and a bioprinted wound patch for pets that could lead to printable human organs.
Smart Glasses That Adapt As You Look
Finland-based IXI has developed what it claims are the world’s first real-time autofocus prescription glasses. Rather than adding smart features like cameras or displays, the company focuses on correcting vision more naturally.
Founded in 2021 by imaging and optics specialists Niko Eiden and Ville Miettinen, IXI recently raised \$36.5 million in Series A funding. Backers include Amazon’s Alexa Fund and several major European venture firms. The money will support the final development of the company’s first commercial product, IXI Adaptive Eyewear.
How It Works
The system uses a low-power eye-tracking sensor and liquid crystal lenses. When the user shifts focus, the glasses detect eye movement and adjust the lens shape in real-time, typically within 0.2 seconds. The liquid crystals change how they bend light, automatically matching the user’s focal distance.
All the electronics fit within a standard frame, and battery life is expected to last two days, with the lenses reverting to a fixed prescription mode if the power runs out.
Aimed at Replacing Progressive Lenses
IXI has targeted the new glasses at those with presbyopia, which affects the eye’s ability to focus on nearby objects and typically appears from age 40. Whereas traditional progressive lenses have narrow reading zones and peripheral distortion, IXI says its dynamic lens offers full-field clarity without these trade-offs.
The Next Phase In Eyewear Development?
A key part of IXI’s pitch appears to be that dynamic lenses represent the next logical phase in eyewear development, not just an upgrade to existing products. “Whether it’s us or another company, somebody will crack it,” said CEO Niko Eiden. “The step from static to dynamic lenses is a natural evolution.”
Market and Availability
The global eyewear market is currently worth more than $200 billion and growing at 8–9 per cent a year. IXI, therefore, hopes to launch a consumer-level product targeting older professionals and others frustrated with current lens limitations. No pricing or release date has yet been confirmed, though live demonstrations are expected later in 2025.
What Needs to Improve
Despite the obvious advantages of the new lenses, key technical challenges remain. For example, IXI must deliver all-day comfort, eliminate lens haziness, and meet medical-grade optical clarity standards. Transparent electronics, battery miniaturisation and long-term durability are also all active areas of R&D.
There’s also the threat of competitors emerging. For example, French startup Laclarée and Japan’s Elcyo are also working on autofocus eyewear, though neither has launched a product. Tech giants like Meta and Apple are investing in glasses too, yet their focus remains on augmented reality rather than vision correction. IXI is aiming to fill the gap in between.
Bioprinted Patches for Pets Could Lead to Human Organs
Meanwhile, Lithuanian startup Vital3D is tackling tissue regeneration. Its first commercial product, VitalHeal, is a laser-printed wound patch designed for dogs. The patch embeds growth factors and features microscopic pores that allow air circulation while blocking bacteria.
Vital3D says the technology could eventually be used to bioprint transplantable human organs, but that this goal is likely still 10 to 15 years away. The company has deliberately started with simpler applications in veterinary care as a stepping stone towards more complex human use.
Faster Healing, Lower Risk
The patch is designed to seal wounds, maintain pressure, and accelerate healing. Vital3D claims it can reduce recovery time from 10–12 weeks to just 4–6 weeks. Infection rates could fall from 30 per cent to below 10 per cent, and the number of vet visits required may drop significantly.
The retail price is €300 per patch (€150 wholesale). While more expensive than standard dressings, it could cut overall treatment costs by reducing surgery time and complications.
A Technology Platform, Not Just a Patch
Vital3D uses Two-Photon Polymerisation, a high-resolution laser-based printing technique. Its patented FemtoBrush system allows the laser beam to dynamically change shape during printing, enabling both fine detail and larger structural areas in the same build. The system can print features as small as one micron, within a build volume of 50 x 50 x 100 mm.
The company’s long-term goal is to print implantable human kidneys. For now, the priority is building the core platform by addressing major challenges such as creating vascular networks and supporting cell differentiation. Dog trials are scheduled to begin this year in Lithuania and the UK.
Competing Efforts and Future Outlook
Vital3D is one of several companies working on bioprinted tissue, though it is taking a notably commercial route into the market.
Other startups in this space include US-based Trestle Biotherapeutics, which is developing kidney tissue for research and transplantation, and Sweden’s CELLINK, which builds bio-inks and printing systems for soft tissue reconstruction.
It’s worth noting, however, that Vital3D stands out for its commercial-first strategy, using veterinary applications to test and refine the technology before moving to human use. The company is targeting a €76.5 million addressable market for its pet wound patch across the EU and US, with plans to sell 100,000 units by 2028.
What Does This Mean For Your Business?
For UK opticians and eyewear providers, IXI’s autofocus glasses may introduce a new product category with implications for prescriptions, training and aftercare. As consumer expectations shift towards seamless, tech-enabled vision correction, businesses will, therefore, need to adapt quickly.
In healthcare, Vital3D’s approach may offer a model for phased innovation. For example, by starting with pets and progressing gradually towards human treatment, the company reduces clinical risk while building regulatory and commercial experience. This could be especially relevant for UK medtech startups navigating approval pathways for advanced therapeutic devices.
Both companies face significant hurdles around manufacturing, regulation and market adoption. However, their step-by-step focus on solving practical problems, rather than pushing hype, suggests a more sustainable route to impact. Whether in optometry or regenerative medicine, UK stakeholders may find that these technologies offer useful templates for how to bring complex ideas to market with real-world application in mind.
