A newsletter for friends of RAGS

A newsletter for friends of RAGS

Division of Research, Graduate Studies and Technology Transfer

AlphaMicron’s VALID Eyeware Technology Expands With Uvex Sports Inc.

Dr. Bahman Taheri, founder and CEO of AlphaMicron Inc. in Kent, Ohio was previously a research fellow in the university’s Liquid Crystal Institute.  He is pictured above with Ohio Governor Taft holding AlphaMicron’s latest Variable Attenuation Liquid Crystal Device (VALID) goggles.  As reported in Crain’s Cleveland Business (Nov. 22-28, 2004, p. F-18),  Dr. Taheri established AlphaMicron Inc. in 1997 while a research fellow at LCI in order to develop variable transmittance visors for pilots for the US Air Force.  The company expanded from its federal contract work into development of consumer versions of its eyewear technology, including motorcycle helmets and ski goggles.  The company had sales of about $7 million in 2003.  The VALID technology gives users instantaneous control over the tint and color of eyewear.  Customers include the goggle manufacturer Uvex Sports, Inc.  LCI is pleased at the success of this local industrial spin-off business.  AlphaMicron also is a member of LCI’s industrial partnership program, and Dr. Taheri serves as an adjunct professor of chemical physics at KentState. 

RAGS applauds all involved in making these fine public-private partnerships beneficial to all parties and the public. The Office of Technology Transfer and RAGS offer thanks to all researchers who participated in the university’s innovation and commercialization efforts. We have just completed another productive year with much advancement, despite the slowness of the  recovering economy. As we move forward, we intend to broaden our involvement with the research disciplines and help to commercialize the innovations of KentState inventors.