Wavelength-Selective Optical Filter for Circadian Light Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sunglasses that filter out harmful UV and blue-violet light also attenuate beneficial visible light, potentially disrupting circadian rhythms and causing adverse effects such as sleep troubles and mood disorders, while increasing pupil size and the exposure to harmful wavelengths.
Innovation Solution
An optical device with a filter that selectively inhibits transmission of harmful UV and blue light, allowing transmission of specific wavelengths between 460 nm to 560 nm, particularly 480 nm to 520 nm, to enhance protection while preserving beneficial light exposure, and includes a method for optimizing pupil constriction and retinal illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional sunglasses filter out harmful UV and blue-violet light, then protection against harmful light is improved, but beneficial visible light transmission is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The optical filter is designed with wavelength-selective properties, allowing different wavelengths to pass through differently. Specifically, it blocks harmful UV and blue-violet light (400-460 nm) while transmitting beneficial blue-green light (460-560 nm), creating localized quality differentiation across the spectrum to resolve the contradiction between protection and beneficial light transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the transmission parameter of the optical filter across different wavelength ranges. By adjusting the filter's spectral characteristics to transmit 460-560 nm while blocking other harmful ranges, it optimizes both protection and beneficial light exposure, resolving the trade-off between harmful factor reduction and useful illumination maintenance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sunglasses significantly attenuate light intensity, then protection against harmful light is improved, but pupil size increases logarithmically
Solution Approach 1:
The filter provides selective attenuation rather than uniform blocking. By allowing beneficial wavelengths (460-560 nm) to pass through while blocking harmful ones, it maintains sufficient retinal illumination to prevent excessive pupil dilation, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and pupil area control.
3Illumination intensity
If sunglasses increase pupil size, then more light enters the eye, but exposure to harmful wavelengths increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical filter acts as an intermediary element that selectively transmits beneficial wavelengths (460-560 nm) while blocking harmful UV and blue-violet light. This mediator function allows sufficient light for normal pupil function while preventing harmful wavelength exposure, resolving the contradiction between illumination needs and harmful factor exposure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The optical device provides enhanced protection against harmful light while maintaining beneficial light exposure, synchronizing biological functions, and optimizing pupil constriction to reduce exposure to noxious wavelengths, thereby addressing circadian disorders and improving visual acuity.
Implementation Method 1
an optical filter configured to inhibit transmission of harmful UV and/or blue light wherein the optical device is further configured to allow retinal exposure of an eye to at least one selected range of wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum of 460 nm to 560 nm
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device including an optical substrate providing with an optical filter configured to inhibit transmission of harmful UV and/or blue light wherein the optical device is further configured to allow retinal exposure of an eye to at least one selected range of wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum of 460 nm to 560 nm, preferably of 480 nm to 520 nm.