Hitoshi Tanaka: The Potential of Eyewear to Magnify Life

2019/04/18

"Magnify Life." This means expanding one's life. This is the vision of the eyewear brand "JINS." Just as things look larger when peering through a microscope or a magnifying glass, we want to expand the lives of people around the world. To that end, we want to continuously release new services and products. These words are always at the root of JINS and support us.

In contrast to eyewear, which until then could not be purchased easily, the "flat rate, no additional fees" pricing we proposed caused a sensation in the industry and became a new "standard." However, this was not limited to price alone. We wanted to expand the value of the "eyewear" device itself by developing glasses with functions other than vision correction.

First, through joint research with the Keio University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology, JINS developed eyewear to counter the blue light emitted by PCs and smartphones that causes eye fatigue, sparking a "blue light cutting" movement in the world. In addition, we have commercialized eyewear for hay fever measures and for the purpose of alleviating dry eye, and last year, we focused on "violet light," which was also discovered by the Keio University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology.

If each product and service does not have "JINS-ness," no one will pay attention. In order to get many people to pick up our products, wisdom, ingenuity, and above all, a heart that does not fear change are necessary. This line of products based on science is also entirely based on this sentiment.

Currently, JINS is continuing the challenge of "turning eyewear into IoT devices." This wearable eyewear named "JINS MEME" senses the movement of human pupils and blinking, realizing the measurement and quantification of sleepiness, interests, and concentration. Furthermore, we have succeeded in significantly expanding the potential of eyewear, such as being able to play the role of a controller.

For about 700 years since its invention in Italy, the function of vision correction has been considered everything for eyewear. We want to challenge that common sense. We want to add completely new value to eyewear and create a "standard" from Japan that has never existed in the world before. Such an unwavering conviction keeps us running today.