Seiko Instruments Inc. (abbr. “SII”, President: Masafumi Shimbo, Headquarter: 1-8 Nakase Mihama-ku Chiba-shi Chiba, Tel:043-211-1111) and Varioptic Co. (*1) / France (CEO: Christian Dupont) have formed a business alliance to mass-produce liquid lenses developed by Varioptic SA. A liquid lens is a lens that can focus using liquid and will be used in mobile phone cameras due to its ability to minimize and adjust focus at high speed. SII has been entrusted with the liquid lens production because of its production and technology abilities. With this alliance, mass production will start this fall.
Varioptic SA. has applied the shape transformation technology to the boundary surface of solution and oil by enclosing them into the lens holder (container), and applying voltage to the lens electrodes. This boundary surface becomes a variable-focus lens that cameras focal length by the voltage change. Compared to the conventional movable lens focus adjustment mechanical parts are unnecessary, so fewer parts are needed and miniaturization is possible. In addition, it is far superior in impact and durability, since it is made of liquid instead of mobile parts. Moreover, it is possible to realize high speed focusing, silence, and energy-conservation due to the ability to adjust focus length with voltage change.
Liquid lens is suitable for products like bar-code readers used in logistics management or mobile phone cameras with auto focus. In addition, it is expected to be used in various ways in the future, such as mobile phone video recording in which high-speed focus adjustment is required.
SII plans to install the production line, with a capacity of 500,000 pcs. per month, for the Arctic314 (5M pixel) and Arctic416 (3M pixel) in the Sendai factory by the 3rd quarter of 2008 and start mass production. Afterwards, production capacity will be expanded.
SII has been producing silver oxide batteries for watches, and miniature rechargeable battery / capacitors for mobile phone for decades. Because the liquid lens and batteries have a similar structure, SII’s manufacturing technology can enable mass production of the liquid lens.
Varioptic SA. and SII will continue their collaboration on liquid lens product and mass production technical development and cultivate new markets for liquid lens.
(1*)Varioptic SA.,
Company Name:Varioptic S.A.
CEO: Christian Dupont
Location: Batiment Tony Garnier-24A/24B rue Jean Baldassini 69007 LYON-FRANCE
Established Year: 2002
Business:Research and development of liquid lens
Number of Employee:57 (November, 2007)
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