Two optical companies, Augen Optics and Adlens were recently honored by Index: Design to Improve Life, the Danish nonprofit organization.
Augen’s innovative eyewear, pictured here, was developed for a nonprofit children’s program in Mexico by Augen and fuseproject, a product design firm in San Francisco. It won the largest and most prestigious product design award, the international Index: Award, on Sept. 1 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Index: Award is conferred for design that vastly improves the lives of people all over the world.
Index received nearly 1,000 design nominations from 78 countries for the 2011 competition. The award panel chose 60 design finalists, from which the five top winners were selected. The eyeglasses developed by Augen Optics and fuseproject for the Ver Bien Para Aprender Mejor program—or See Better to Learn Better—won the top award in the Body category, which recognizes significant enhancements to the physical challenges of daily living.
The durable split-construction eyeglass frames, called Vigeo www.vigeo.com, were developed in conjunction with Yves Béhar of fuseproject and are specifically designed for students ages six to 18 years old.
Additionally, Adlens and Vision for a Nation won a place in the Index: Awards global exhibition tour which will visit 12 countries around the world and be exhibited in prestigious public spaces. The exhibition materials will be available to schools globally, as part of Index’s commitment to educating the world’s children about the benefits of design to improve life.
GUNNAR OPTIKS TEAMS WITH LG ELECTRONICS TO CO-PROMOTE 3D EYEWEAR
Gunnar Optiks has formed an alliance with LG Electronics to co-promote Gunnar’s premium 3D eyewear to consumers who have purchased LG Cinema 3D HDTVs. The cooperation represents the first time that optical equipment used by professionals in the entertainment industry will be available to consumers for use with 3D TVs, according to Gunnar Optiks. Joint promotional initiatives, primarily encompassing digital marketing elements, will be executed in the U.S. to position Gunnar’s 3D eyewear as a premium accessory for LG Cinema 3D customers.
Originally introduced in January 2010, Gunnar’s 3D lens is RealD-certified for use in theaters.
“Achieving the highest laboratory-tested light transmission and highest measured optical resolution, our 3D eyewear has provided both professionals and consumers an optimal visual experience in theaters,” says Rob Aarnes, president at Gunnar Optiks. “Together with LG’s experience in 3D TV technology, this unique combination of innovation is now available in the home for consumers around the globe. We’re pleased to align our efforts to reinforce our belief that the future of 3D lies with LG’s passive Cinema 3D technology.”
—Andrew Karp
