Gunnar Optiks Glasses: Day 1 Report

Gunnar Optiks Glasses: Day 1 Report
By Danny Willis
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 4:50 pm in culture.
I’m nearing the end of my first full day wearing the
Gunnar Optiks glasses and I have something to report
other than that everything is yellow while I’m wearing
them: Everything is purple when I take them off.
Ok, that’s not entirely true. Everything is yellow except
screens and monitors. Looking around the newsroom is
like modern art; everything has a yellow tint except the
TVs and computer monitors, which have more vivid color than without the glasses. I tried to
take a picture but apparently it doesn’t work the same way with cameras.
Other than that I’m not completely sure if it’s doing anything else. I am noticing that I’m
somewhat less exhausted than usual, I’m more alert later in the day, but one day isn’t enough to
tell if it’s an effect of the glasses or a coincidence.
The most conclusive thing I can report after such a short time is that they aren’t doing anything
negative. None of the headache, eye strain or blindness some have predicted. So that’s
something. I’m not sure if they do anything good, but they don’t do anything bad.
More to come tomorrow.
Gunnar Optiks Glasses Conclusions and Review
By Danny Willis
Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 at 12:26 pm in Reviews.
I’ve been wearing these glasses for a week now, dropping the occasional status update (Note
to self: Never take on a week-long series that spans a weekend of moving.) and continually
refusing to post a picture of me wearing them (Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.)
It’s time to give my final report:
These glasses actually kinda work.
I know, I was surprised too. My initial reaction when I hear about a product that claims to have
miraculous effects because of sketchy pseudoscience-sounding features is to shake my head
sadly and walk away but these do seem to have many of the effects they claim.
First off, and most importantly, they do help eye strain. It’s been taking me by surprise when my
eyes only starting to burn and feel heavy when I get tired. I don’t even get headaches at the end
of long days. Score that one as a win for the glasses.
I also don’t get as physically or mentally exhausted over the course of a day. Whether it’s a
side effect of the lack of eye strain, the yellow tint (color psychology claims yellow increases
concentration and speeds metabolism) or something else, I definitely feel more alert and
energetic at the end of the day.
The promotional materials also claim they stop your eyes from drying out and encourage you to
blink more. I haven’t noticed that, but of course it’s hard to pay attention to when you blink and it
can’t help that they keep the newsroom at a constant 31 degrees (or at least it feels like it most
of the time). It may help more under different conditions.
All in all, I’m probably going to keep wearing them. Whether it’s the glasses themselves or the
placebo effect they do seem to do something and why ruin a good thing. If you’re especially
sensitive to fluorescent lights or have recurring problems with eye strain they may be worth the
$99 price tag.
Six out of seven at Crave Asia are bespectacled and the last time I checked, everyone
had their eyes glued to at least a 19-inch LCD monitor. Some have it worse with gigantic
plasma screens, while others have to squint at pathetic QVGA displays.
It doesn’t take an Einstein to know that our eyes go through an obscene amount of
stress daily. Less work and more play obviously wouldn’t sit well with our editors or HR
policies. And citing risks of developing Digital Eye Fatigue (DEF) or Computer Vision
Syndrome (CVS), at best, will earn you a few sorry looks, followed by a piercing getback-to-work stare.
Which is why Gunnars’ proprietary i-AMP lens technology can help save both our eyes
and our livelihoods. According to the US-based technology company, i-AMP helps relax
the ocular muscles that strain to view text and images at close distance, while it also
minimizes eye fatigue by improving eye focus, reducing glare and blocking ambient light.
The million dollar quote? “Short term you’re more effective… long term you’ll stop frying
your eyes.” Now we can’t wait to get one of these. Available online between US$99 and
S$189. Small price to pay, really.
Crawling the PAX exhibition hall this afternoon I stumbled upon a smallish booth for
Gunnar Opticks. The company is dedicated to making glasses for computer users.
The idea is that the special glasses cut down on glare, and reduce distracting
external light to reduce eye strain. The wrapped frames and lenses are crafted, I was
told, to create a “microclimate” around your eyes, blocking out dry air and slightly
increasing humidity around the eyes.
Initially it sounds a little silly, but the more you think about it the more sense it makes.
I know my eyes are usually pretty worn out after a day of blogging and gaming. The
company recently started selling their glasses and have already started plans to craft
glasses designed specifically for gamers, in particular PC gamers.
The gamer glasses will have offer all of the same benefits, plus special stems
designed to be more comfortable under headphones. I plan on checking out a pair
and writing up my impressions in about a month.
I can see gamers getting behind the idea, even if only for the look of the glasses.
The Gadget: A pair of yellow-tinted glasses you wear at the computer that claim to reduce “Digital Eye
Fatigue” and “Computer Vision Syndrome.” In other words, they get rid of eye strain and headaches
related to eye strain. It also claims to give you “sharper, clearer vision,” as well as improve your
performance because “the eyes are relaxed.” How? By “improving eye focus, reducing glare and
blocking artificial light.”
The Price: The price is variable, but a random sampling of different frame types cost anywhere between
$99 at the low end and nearly $200 at the high end. The bulk of the frames, however, land somewhere
in between. Ours, the Wi-Five, cost $139.
The Verdict: It actually works. The curvature and wrapping of the lenses around your eyes cause
some slight distortion when you’re turning your head or using your peripheral vision (a.k.a. early boss,
wife or mom warning system), which takes a short while to get used to. Our first try was met with slight
nausea within a few minutes. We persevered, despite everything looking (and maybe even smelling
and tasting) a urine-yellow.
We don’t normally experience eye-strain when at the computer, so when we wore the Gunnars for a
solid day of blogging—from start to finish—we didn’t experience any clearer vision or performance
gain that we could tell. But that’s like trying to sell someone a whistle that prevents tiger attacks and
claiming it works when there haven’t been any tiger attacks. In NYC. Downtown. At Bloomingdale’s.
However, when we donned the specs after we already had pain in one or more of our eyeballs and/
or a headache, we found that the Gunnars really did work to take away the discomfort. We didn’t put
them on and lie down either; we sat in front of our five-display setup and did full-on blogging.
We’re not sure how it works, or if it will work for everybody, but if you’re a frequent sufferer of
computer-related eye strain, $100+ is a small price to pay for something that at the very least helps
you work for a few more hours without sticking a fruit knife in your temple. The downside is that you
look may look like a dork when wearing them depending on which pair you choose, but I look like a
dork all the time, so I DON’T CARE.
Leveling up your Dark Elf or reading blog posts about technology might
be your idea of pixelated paradise, but that doesn’t mean your eyes
are happy about all the time you spend staring at your monitor. And
squinting at email on your phone during the commute home doesn’t
help matters either. With all the time we spend staring at screens, it’s
surprising that our eyes work at all.
But if filing TPS reports all day and fragging foes at night leaves you
with headaches, dry eyes, and blurred vision, you might be suffering from Computer Vision Syndrome.
And unless electronic ink displays suddenly take the world by storm, your eyes aren’t going to get any
better on their own.
Getting away from the computer screen would help. But for those of us who need to be glued to our PCs,
a pair of yellow-tinted glasses from Gunnar Optiks just might be the solution to happier, healthier eyes. If
the plethora of graphs and slick marketing copy on the company’s Web site is any indication, the lenses in
a pair of Gunnar glasses will greatly reduce the muscle strain and dryness that eyes typically suffer after
hours starinng at a computer screen.
The company sent us a pair to try for ourselves; here’s what I thought.
I was initially a bit skeptical of Gunnar’s claims, especially since its lens technology is called “i-AMP,”
and there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of independent, qualified testimonials from eye doctors
espousing the use of these $100-plus glasses. But once I put a pair on and spent several hours wearing
them while writing, gaming, and surfing the Web, most of my skepticism vanished. Not only did my eyes
seem to feel better than they do after a typical day of heavy computer use, but my shoulders and back felt
less stiff, likely because I spent far less time squinting at the screen and leaning forward to read.
The yellowish tint that the glasses add to your vision takes a few minutes to get used to, but for me at
least, they made on-screen text easier to read by cutting out blue light emanating from the screen and
the overhead lights. The lenses seem to reduce the intensity of the white background of a word document
or web page, without negatively affecting contrast. Text just seems more crisp, which allowed me to lean
back in my chair while reading, rather than sitting rigidly up, while sometimes leaning forward.
Text wasn’t the only thing that seemed easier on my eyes while I was wearing the Gunnar glasses.
Images and games were also less glaring but just as vivid. This likely has something to do with the slight
yellow tint, combined with glare reduction, and the blockage of blue light wavelengths given off by the
florescent light in the room.
I could go on and on explaining exactly what these glasses supposedly do and how they do it, but you can
read the Gunnar Web site for that. Since everyone’s vision is different, I’d recommend checking out a pair
of Gunnar Optiks’ glasses before making the$100 to $190 purchase. You can check here to see if there
is a store near you. Or you could just order a pair, and if you don’t like them, send them back withing 30
days for a refund.
The lenses are available in 15 different style frames and various colors, which should hopefully minimize
the geekiness factor of wearing digital eyewear. And for those who already wear glasses, you can get
prescription lenses from Gunnar.
Spending over $100 on a pair of glasses made specifically for staring at computer screens might seem a
bit extreme, but if you’re suffering daily headaches and severely dry eyes or having trouble focusing after
spending a long day at the computer screen, Gunnar Optiks’ digital eyewear is definitely worth a look.
Gunnar Optiks digital eyewear is available now in dozens of frame styles and colors, direct from Gunnar,
or at a handful of retailers across the US.
They are sleek and sexy, and oh-so-stylish. They’re galled
Gunnars, made by Del Mar-based Gunnar Optiks, and if
you spend hours in front of a computer screen, they’re not
only going to make you look great, but your eyes will say thank you.
“It pre-focuses the light, so your eyes don’t have to do that focusing and work so hard,
and that really decreases the eye strain,” Gunnar Optiks co-founder Joe Croff said.
The glasses, which also come in prescription form, have specially colored and coated
lenses to help with sensitivity.
“We’ve designed this tint because your eyes can absorb the spectrum of light more
readily,” Croff explained.
And then there’s the face-hugging feature designed to combat what’s known as
“computer vision syndrome”.
“By having a geometry that’s really tightly wrapped to your face, it keeps the air currents
from drying out your eyes and actually increases the humidity. It creates a micro-climate
for your eyes,” Croff said.
North County-based optometrist Dr. Jeffrey Anshel says more people than you think
have CVS.
“There are about 175 million people in the workplace using computers, and about 80
percent of those people notice problems,” Anshel said.
Doctor Anshel says his patients can’t stop gabbing about the Gunnars.
“When [patients] first put them on they really notice there’s a major difference in the
clarity of the image of the screen they’re looking at. So we call it the ‘wow factor’… they
can work longer and be more productive,” he said.
The Gunnars range from $99 to $189. They can be found at Optical Warehouse locations
throughout San Diego.
If you stare at a computer for long hours each day, then you know the
feeling of eye fatigue. It’s that dry, weary feeling that makes you wish
you could take out your eyes and soak them in cool water for a while.
Gamers who enjoy long hours in their favorite online game or first-person shooter also experience this eye fatigue. One company, however,
is working to create gamer glasses that will help ease weary eyes and
keep gamers sharp.
Gunnar Optiks is that company and already has glasses created for
computer users that help minimise eye fatigue by reducing glare and
improving focus. This same technology is apparently being brought to
gamers as the company has plans to create a gaming line of specs.
These glasses will offer the same eye protection as computer users,
but will also be designed to be more comfortable for players who wear
headphones.
No word yet on when these gamer glasses will hit the market, but you
can probably bet that when they do, many marathon gamer’s eyes will
be thankful for it.
Read more at Kotaku via CrunchGear.
Gunnar Optiks are known for their specialty computer glasses but now it seems
they’ve set their sights on the devoted gamer. Yes, that’s right game junkies: you
may be able to get your very own pair of game tailored glasses soon.
The custom lenses will be made with the gamer in mind. That means
implementing the same technology as in their glasses intended for heavy
computer users with a special design meant to work with the wearing of
headphones.
The intent is to reduce eyestrain, but perhaps if you play games till your eyes
hurt, you should take a break. Just a thought. No word on availability or pricing
yet, but we do know that the heavy computer use glasses from Gunnar Optiks
costs $99.
When it comes to digital performance eyewear, all roads lead to Del
Mar based Gunnar Optics. The category doesn’t even exist yet in the
eyewear industry, which makes the founders of the company very
excited.
Designed to address eye problems associated with extended periods
of time in front of a computer screen, Gunnar’s founders say that
they’ve developed a product that has been optimized to enhance
the computer experience by helping users be more productive for
longer periods of time and protect them against the harmful effects of
viewing a computer screen, PDA or handheld device.
Joe Croft, Co-founder of Gunnar said that there are two categories
of negative effects. One are the short term effects called digital eye
fatigue, which is generally characterized by eye strain, headaches,
blurry vision, problems focusing, dry or scratchy eyes, pain around the eye and posture related problems.
Left untreated, these symptoms can progress into computer vision syndrome. Currently CVS is the number
one occupational complaint of office workers for the last three years running, outstripping carpel tunnel
syndrome, according to the National Health and Safety Statistics.
The American Optometric Association estimates that 10 million Americans suffer from CVS. The AOA reported
that upwards of 125 million cases of CVS go unreported each year. Estimates predict that 80 percent of
computer users will eventually have some form of computer related eye problems.
According to Croft, what Gunnar’s lens technology does is pre-focus the light so that the eye doesn’t have to
flex too much. They’ve engineered a tint that balances the color spectrum by getting rid of some of the harsh
light and putting it in a zone that is much better for the eye to absorb. The shape of the glasses is designed to
cut down on air currents helping to prevent dry eyes by maintaining some of the humidity around the eye. An
anti-glare coating was designed to work specifically with computer monitors, which helps users focus on just
the light that comes from the computer and not from reflective lighting. The last feature is ergonomics. The
lightweight of the frame makes them very comfortable and stylish to wear.
“There has been a huge amount of miniaturization that’s taken place,” said Croft. “Text sizes have gotten
smaller, especially on PDAs and handhelds. That’s why we are convinced that we can give people a visual
advantage with help from eyewear, which actually enhances the computing experience.”
Gunnar’s founders are not alone in their belief that the company’s product line will be the newest tech gadget
that all computer users must have. So far they’ve raised over $6 million in start up capital from some savvy
investors such as the Jacobs family from Qualcomm and Peter Teal, of PayPal.
Co-founder Jenny Michelsen said that she became concerned when her son Gunnar started to show interest in
computers and video games.
“Kids are starting earlier and are going to be on the computer for longer periods of time,” she said. “If you’re
making your child use a seat belt, sun screen and feeding them the right foods, you absolutely should be
protecting their vision.”
Technical advisor Jeffrey Anshel, who helped develop the technology behind the lens, said that he has been
working with people who suffer from computer vision problems since 1990. He has been lecturing on the
subject since CVS was designated by the AOA. “Generally magnification doesn’t fix the problem,” he said.
“We’ve put together some significant variables that have shown to be very positive in the work place.” Anshel
recommends that everyone have a regular eye exam and stresses that they are very important.
For more information on Gunnar Optics go to www.gunnaroptiks.com.
August 17, 2008
A new San Diego company wants to prevent people from looking and feeling like
computer geeks.
Gunnar Optiks, which started 18 months ago in the
garage of one of its owners, is launching a line of
computer glasses that aim to prevent the dry eyes,
blurry vision and headaches that can be caused
by sitting for hours in front of a computer screen,
BlackBerry or video game.
But we’re not talking horn-rimmed glasses here.
The company’s collection includes fashion styles with names such as Ombre,
Shredder and Wi-Five that sport alloy frames and yellow-tinted lenses a laBono.
They can be bought off the rack, at an optometrist’s office, for $90 to $200. That
is half as much as it would cost for a custom pair ordered by a physician, local
optometrists say.
The idea for the glasses was born out of one woman’s frustration with a
complaining husband and worry about the eyes of a boy seemingly tethered to a
computer and Game Boy.
Jenny Michelsen listened for months to her husband, Matt, a hedge fund
manager, complaining about the headaches he got after hours of sitting in front
of six computer screens. The headaches, the Michelsens would learn, were a
symptom of computer vision syndrome, a collection of minor ailments that build
up over time.
As the Rancho Santa Fe woman urged her husband to see an eye doctor, she
wondered whether her 3-year-old son, Gunnar, was getting a jump-start on
similar problems.
If she and her husband believed the computers were getting to their eyes – and
they didn’t start using electronics until they were in their 20s – what would happen
to Gunnar’s generation?
An estimated 125 million Americans suffer from what is now commonly referred
to as digital eye fatigue or computer vision syndrome, according to the American
Optometric Association. Gunnar Optiks is targeting the hard-core of that group:
people 19 to 40 in the creative and financial communities.
“We’re targeting people who spend a long time writing, editing or doing visual
graphic work or editing on the computer, as well as video gaming,” said Joe
Croft, who founded Gunnar with Jenny Michelsen. Croft previously worked in the
design department for Oakley, an Orange County company known globally for its
sunglasses and athletic apparel.
The two Rancho Santa Fe residents began their five-year road to launch by
talking to medical experts. They wanted to learn about the effect of focusing on a continued...
continued...
digital image projected on a screen just inches from one’s face for hours at a time and years
on end.
One of those experts was Jeffrey Anschel, an Carlsbad optometrist who has become an
expert in computer vision syndrome. He noticed the problem about 17 years ago, when
employees of a nearby computer company began complaining about dry and tired eyes and
difficulty focusing.
They were problems that people generally didn’t experience until they were in their 40s,
but these patients were in their early 30s, Anschel said. It didn’t take him long to make the
connection with their computer work.
“You can work, shop, communicate and do just about everything from your computer now,
and people just don’t realize how much time they’re spending looking at the screen,” Anschel
said.
The digital images that computers project are one factor contributing to computer vision
syndrome, he said. The eye focuses on the hard edge of an image, but digital images don’t
have a clean edge, Anschel said. As a result, the focus drifts forward and back, causing eye
fatigue.
Also problematic is that people spend long periods focusing on something close to their
face. Eye muscles tends to lock into that one position, which is tiring and can push the eye
down the path to becoming farsighted, Anschel said.
Meanwhile, the eye has to deal with light from conflicting sources, such as sunlight that is
much brighter than the computer screen, he said. There’s also glare from the light shining
into the eyes. And the angle of view for the computer screen, which is straight ahead, isn’t
desirable. People tend to focus better at objects when looking down, such as reading a
book, Anschel said.
Croft said he and Michelsen set out to create a product that addresses all the symptoms of
digital eye fatigue. They completed their first prototype five years ago. Eighteen months ago,
they founded the company.
Gunnar Optiks raised $5 million in its first funding round and is preparing to complete a $1
million second round, Croft said. Among their financial backers is Peter Thiel, a founder of
Pay Pal.
Croft and Michelsen eventually took a prototype to Anschel and explained the important
components of the glasses.
They had a yellow-tinted lens, which makes images appear clearer. Yellow makes images
sharper by filtering out blue light, Anschel said. The center of the eye is most attuned to
yellow light, he said.
The lens is also shaped to pre-focus the light into the eyes, so the eyes don’t have to do all
the work, Croft said.
continued...
There’s also a purplish iridescence on the lens, which is an anti-glare filter that allows light
from the computer in but keeps out distracting reflected light from other sources, he said.
“Since you’re not focusing on the glare, it reduces eyestrain,” Croft said.
The lenses are also designed to be fitted close to the face, creating what the company
called a “microclimate” that keeps away wind, Croft said. This helps keep eyes moist by
reducing squinting and maintaining a closer-to-normal rate of blinking – a leading cause
of dry eyes, he said.
Anschel said he was not an immediate convert to the glasses, though he is now a paid
consultant to the company.
“I was skeptical and said we needed science to show how this stuff works,” he said.
Gunnar gave a $30,000 grant to Pacific University’s Vision Eye Lab, run by renowned
optometry researcher James Sheedy, to pay for an independent review of the glasses.
The lab has just finished its second study, though those results have not yet been
published, said James Kundart, the optometry professor who led the tests.
First, Kundart confirmed that computer vision syndrome is an accepted collection
of problems reported by heavy computer users who don’t always follow the rules of
ergonomics. Many people don’t get up from their computer often and give their eyes a
break by looking away from the screen to make the eyes refocus on objects at varied
distances, he said.
The yellow tint did improve contrast, though the test could not confirm that the Gunnar
tint was better than other yellow tints, Kundart said. Electrodes placed on the lids
of study subjects showed the glasses made them squint less, which in turn affected
complaints of dry eyes, he said.
The studies also looked at the claims of a beneficial microclimate around the eye.
Researchers put test subjects in a lens flatter than Gunnar’s and had a fan blowing on their
face as they read for 10 to 20 minutes. Then researchers measured the wetness in the eye.
“We discovered a subtle but repeatable difference,” Kundart said.
The tests showed that some people were more bothered by these problems than
others, and the glasses seemed to be better suited for farsighted people chained to their
computer, Kundart said.
“I think we are looking at some rather subtle effects that over the course of a day might
add up to increased comfort,” Kundart said.
“I don’t know that these are a giant breakthrough that will change the world, but I think
it’s a tool that might be useful, since computers aren’t going away and not everyone is
cut out to work on them,” he said. “Whether, at the end of the day, it’s enough to justify
the cost is up to the individual patient.”
Judging by the swift sales of Gunnar glasses at the Kearny Mesa office of optometrist
Eric White, many patients apparently think the glasses are worth it.
continued...
White said he has been prescribing computer glasses for many years.
“The (Gunnar) concept is unique, and they come in all different styles,” White said.
“We’re not talking about $10 cheaters from Costco.”
Some insurers are covering the cost of the glasses, he said.
“People come in for an appointment and say, ‘What are these?’ and try them on and
immediately notice a difference. They buy them on the spot,” he said.
Gunnar Optiks recently completed a regional launch of a line of glasses for people who
wear prescription eyewear, and is planning to make that line available nationally in the
fourth quarter. It is recruiting eye doctors to sell that line, Croft said.
The line was designed by men for men, but the company plans to introduce lines for
women and children. White said he thinks those demographics will work.
“More and more young adults under 30 are starting to have eyestrain, but parents don’t
want to spend $400 for computer glasses for kids,” White said. “But I think they’d be
more apt to spend $100 on computer glasses off the rack.”
CONNECT Announces 2008 Finalists For Most Innovative
New Product Awards
Nominees Selected for Innovation in San Diego Technology and Life Sciences Sectors
By BusinessWire
SAN DIEGO, BUSINESS WIRE -- CONNECT, one of the nation’s most successful regional economic
development programs for high technology and life science innovators, today announced the finalists for this
year’s Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards. The winners will be announced December 12th at the 21st
Annual MIP Awards Luncheon, held at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, to an audience of over 800 of San
Diego’s top executives, entrepreneurs, service providers and academics.
The 2008 MIP Awards continue the tradition of showcasing San Diego-based companies with cutting-edge
innovation in various arenas of technology. CONNECT added two new award categories this year to mirror new
economic growth and achievements in the sectors: action and sport technologies and aerospace technology.
MIP finalist products range from industry-changing action and sport equipment to life-altering medical devices,
each of which is an indicator of the thriving innovation in San Diego’s booming technology industry.
“This year’s products presented the highest level of competition this panel has seen,” said Duane Roth, chief
executive officer of CONNECT. “These finalists showcase the entrepreneurial spirit that this organization strives
to discover and illustrates the innovation that has made San Diego the leading technology hub that it is today.”
The MIP Award finalists were selected from approximately 100 entries representing a broad range of companies
within eight categories. Three finalists are selected in each of the eight categories. The 2008 MIP Award finalists
are: -0- *T Action and Sport Technologies ---------------------------------------------------------------------- American Wave
Machines for SurfStream Firewire Surfboards for Direct Drive Zoot Sports for Ultra Race Shoe Aerospace and
Security Technologies ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Avaak for Vue Personal Video
Vetwork General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for Sky Warrior Block Zero Unmanned Aircraft System Seacoast
Science for SeaPort Mini GC Clean Technology ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hadronex
for Sewer Intelligence System Networkcar for Networkfleet 3500 Reaction Design for Energico Hardware
and General Technology ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Entropic Communications
for Channel Stacking Switch ICs Gunnar Optiks for Gunnar Digital Eyewear Semtek Corporation for Cipher
Module Life Sciences - Diagnostics and Research Tools --------------------------------------------------------------------- Histogen for BioNuesis Invitrogen Corporation for StemPro BG01v platform hESC Kit Silicon Kinetics for SKi
Pro Life Sciences - Medical Products ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ablation Frontiers for
Catheter Ablation System Cytori Therapeutics for Celution System Vet-Stem for Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell for
Small Animals Software and IT ---------------------------------------------------------------------- InSilicoMed for Continuity
PacketVideo for MediaFusion Photometria for Taaz.com Wireless Communications --------------------------------------------------------------------- Mushroom Networks for PortaBella Pulse-LINK for CWave UWB Chipset Staccato
Communications for Ripcord *T
For more information about CONNECT’s MIP Awards and to register to attend please visit: www.connect.org/
programs/most-innovative-products-award/join/
CONNECT is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and sustaining the growth of innovative technology and life science
businesses in San Diego. Each year CONNECT delivers more than 300 programs and services that benefit more than 2,000
CEOs and companies. CONNECT is widely regarded as the nation’s most successful regional program linking inventors and
entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success. Its programs include: Springboard, Venture Round Table, Frontiers
in Science and Technology, FrameWorks, CEO Strategy Forum and Connect with CONNECT; affiliate programs including The
Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology (CCAT), Tech Coast Angels (TCA), and MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF);
and its awards and recognition programs, Hall of Fame, and The Most Innovative Product (MIP) Awards. For further information,
see www.connect.org.
Contacts:CONNECT - 858-964-1300 Nancy van Dillen 858-964-1315 nvandillen@connect.org or Gable PR - 877-251-3888
Liz Dill 619-284-1714 liz@gablepr.com
Innovative product finalists announced
Winners to be named Dec. 12
By BRADLEY J. FIKES Staff Writer | Monday, September 29, 2008 8:07 PM PDT ∞
Innovation can come from anywhere. For Solana Beach’s American Wave Machines,
it came from the Waimea River in Hawaii, where stationary waves periodically form,
to the delight of local surfers.
After more than eight years of engineering, the company
turned a curiosity of nature into an amusement park
attraction: a real wave, ridable with surfboards. Called
SurfStream, it’s now in use in Taiwan and coming soon in
other parts of the world, including the landlocked Midwest.
Such a mixture of inspiration and hard work is what Connect,
the local entrepreneurship program, looks for each year
with its Most Innovative New Products contest. American
Wave Machines is one of 24 finalists Connect announced on
Monday.
Of the 24 finalists in eight categories, 12 are North County
companies. Along with the traditional categories in areas
of high-tech and life sciences, two more have been added:
action and sports technology, and aerospace technology.
The complete list of finalists follows:
Action and Sports Technologies
American Wave Machines for SurfStream (Solana Beach)
Firewire Surfboards for Direct Drive (San Diego)
Zoot Sports for Ultra Race Shoe (Vista)
Aerospace and Security Technologies
Avaak for Vue Personal Video Vetwork (San Diego)
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for Sky Warrior Block
Zero Unmanned Aircraft System (Rancho Bernardo)
Seacoast Science for SeaPort Mini GC (Carlsbad)
Clean Technology
Hadronex for Sewer Intelligence System (Escondido)
Networkcar for Networkfleet 3500 (San Diego)
Reaction Design for Energico (San Diego)
Hardware and General Technology
Entropic Communications for Channel Stacking Switch ICs (San Diego)
Gunnar Optiks for Gunnar Digital Eyewear (Carmel Valley)
Semtek Corp. for Cipher Module (Carmel Valley)
Life Sciences ---- Diagnostics and Research Tools continued...
Innovative product finalists announced
Winners to be named Dec. 12 continued...
By BRADLEY J. FIKES Staff Writer | Monday, September 29, 2008 8:07 PM PDT ∞
Silicon Kinetics for SKi Pro (San Diego)
Life Sciences ---- Medical Products
Ablation Frontiers for Catheter Ablation System (Carlsbad)
Cytori Therapeutics for Celution System (San Diego)
Vet-Stem for Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell for Small Animals (Poway)
Software and IT
InSilicoMed for Continuity (San Diego)
PacketVideo for MediaFusion (Carmel Valley)
Photometria for Taaz.com (San Diego)
Wireless Communications
Mushroom Networks for PortaBella (San Diego)
Pulse-LINK for CWave UWB Chipset (Carlsbad)
Staccato Communications for Ripcord (San Diego)
Winners will be announced Dec. 12 at the 21st annual MIP Awards Luncheon, at the
Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines. More information is available by e-mail at nvandillen@
connect.org or at http://www.connect.org.
Contact staff writer Bradley J. Fikes at (760) 739-6641 or bfikes@nctimes.com.