Simon Forsyth, CEO and co-founder, LirOptic. Image: Vincent Hoban
The start-up is currently raising €3m in a seed funding round.
University College Dublin (UCD) spin-out LirOptic has unveiled its latest optical lens technology, claiming that it “significantly improves” the performance of smartphone cameras.
According to the start-up, the “first-of-its-kind” lens innovation, which operates without mechanically moving parts, improves optical zoom, variable focal lengths, image correction and reduces the module stack size of compact camera modules (CCMs).
CCMs are small, self-contained camera units which have several other use cases, including in AR/VR headsets, the medtech sector and in space technology.
Moreover, the solid-state, shape-shifting tuneable lens also frees up space within smartphones by reducing the size of CCMs, allowing for smartphone manufacturers to integrate larger batteries, improved sensors or add other functionalities, the company said.
The tech behind the announcement was originated by Prof Dominic Zerulla, the founding member and principal investigator of the UCD Plasmonics and Ultra-fast NanoOptics group.
The start-up was co-founded in 2020 by Zerulla, Simon Forsyth, a director in high-tech engineering and medical device industries, and optical entrepreneur Joe O’Keeffe, who aimed to commercialise the tech developed by Zurella and his team at UCD.
“We are delighted to announce the unveiling of our adjustable solid-state lens technology, a first-of-its-kind solution which is poised to bring the future of optics into sharper focus by transforming CCM lens design used in consumer electronics to space and medical applications,” said Forsyth.
“Over the last six months, we have collaborated with a multinational consumer electronics company and a US-based firm in the XR space to integrate our new lens technology and enhance existing optical system performance.”
Moreover, the company, which was previously known as PicoGlaze, is also raising €3m in seed funding to support its growth plans, Forsyth said.
“At LirOptic, we are passionate about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible utilising our optical lens technology, and we’re very excited about the future ahead.”
Last year, the company secured funding from Enterprise Ireland’s Pre-Seed Start Fund to help the business scale and attract customers.
While in the same year, the start-up partnered with the European Space Agency in a 24-month contract to develop a specialised lens tailored for space applications – specifically aimed at enhancing adaptive optics for earth observation. This free-form lens aims to correct perturbations caused by the Earth’s atmosphere, allowing for clearer and more precise imaging from space.
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