Abom, Inc. and Oregon State University Collaborate on Solutions for Protective Eyewear

May 3, 2016

Portland, Ore. (May 3, 2016) – Abom, Inc., the company that developed and patented an active solution to prevent fogging in goggles, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Oregon State University (OSU) School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering (CBEE) to develop the next generation of transparent, thin-film conductive materials for eyewear. This collaboration will enable Abom to extend its reach into smaller, and more complex, protective eyewear systems.

“This partnership brings together two highly talented and experienced teams to address an issue of critical importance,” commented Jack Cornelius, CEO of Abom. “Fogging is an issue for all kinds of protective eyewear and Abom’s technology works effectively and efficiently to prevent it. Working together with OSU, we look forward to rapidly bringing our technology to multiple markets, including sports, safety and tactical products.”

Funding for this project is being provided by a $250,000 grant from Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI). Most of the funds will go to OSU for research and development efforts.

“The OSU team will develop state-of-the-art, visibly transparent nanocoatings using innovative, scalable manufacturing processes. This newly funded ONAMI project is built on the infrastructure and expertise made possible by an ongoing Scalable Nanomanufacturing project supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation,” stated Dr. Chih-hung (Alex) Chang of OSU School of CBEE. “The ONAMI GAP project enables us to build an exciting partnership between Abom and OSU to innovate and translate the results from our labs to the marketplace.”

Abom has built a portfolio of 10 granted and 36 pending patents in three groupings (structural, environmental and power management) to provide a comprehensive and rapid solution to fogging. Abom’s snowsports goggles have received worldwide recognition including Popular Science magazine’s “Best of What’s New” list and Outside magazine’s “Best of the Show” award at the annual Snowsports Industry Association (SIA) tradeshow. The goggles were selected as a 2016/2017 ISPO category award winner amongst the most innovative outdoor products in the world, and were also recently selected as a gold medal winner in the 2016 Edison Awards Sports & Travel category.

About Abom, Inc.:
Founded in 2012, Abom, Inc. launched the world’s first fog-free goggles. Led by a group of inventors, scientists and designers, Abom is on a mission to make the future safer and more fun with leading-edge technology. Abom presently produces and/or licenses its anti-fog technology in snowsports, military/tactical and safety goggles. Look for more announcements in the future about new Abom products or products from Abom technology licensees, as other new products are on the drawing board for applications in the above markets and other markets. For more information, visit www.abom.com.

About Oregon State University School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering:
The Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering (CBEE) School at Oregon State University (OSU) is home to BS undergraduate programs in chemical engineering, bioengineering, and environmental engineering, and graduate programs in chemical engineering and environmental engineering leading to MEng, MS and PhD degrees. The School has 27 full-time faculty, and currently enrolls over 1,000 undergraduate and 150 graduate students. The School emphasizes the integration of chemical, biological and environmental engineering principles and practice in a student-centered learning environment to provide work-ready graduates and technical solutions for a sustainable future. Research expenditures exceed $6.5 million per year, and current emphasis areas include thin films and nanostructured materials for renewable energy and electronic device applications, bioprocess engineering and biofuels, biomaterials and therapeutics, transport and remediation of contaminants in the subsurface, interaction of nanomaterials with the environment, microtechnology for chemical and energy processing applications, and engineering education research.

About Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute:
Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) is an non-profit corporation with a mission to develop Oregon’s technology-based economy by enabling connections between Oregon’s research universities and entrepreneurs, providing mentors and funds to guide entrepreneurs and fuel technologies to generate jobs. ONAMI’s funding of Oregon startups and small businesses has provided leverage to generate over $180 million in equity funding, government grants, and product revenue. Through its Launch and Gap Funding programs, ONAMI funding is often the initial seed capital to help transform a dream into reality. Learn more about ONAMI at www.onami.us. 

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