Alumni startup launches smart glasses to improve cognitive wellness

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Waterloo-based deep tech startup AdHawk Microsystems recently launched MindLink Air™, everyday glasses that can read its wearer’s eye health and cognitive state using research-grade, camera-free eye-tracking technology.

The company was co-founded in 2015 by Dr. Neil Sarkar (BASc ’01, MASc ’03 and PhD ’13), Sandro Banerjee (BASc ’01), Dr. Nino Zahirovic (BASc ’06 and PhD ’11) and Dr. Raafat Mansour, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.  

Driven by its founders’ desire to help people, AdHawk is a local success story that exemplifies Waterloo’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. 

"We think of MindLink Air as the first fitness tracker for the brain," said Sarkar, CEO of AdHawk Microsystems. "It looks and feels like any other pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses — and can include an existing prescription and blue light filter. But while you wear them, an ultra-compact micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) begins tracking your eye movement, capturing data thousands of times each second."

By reading your fatigue and cognitive load levels while you’re working, MindLink Air can help you find your flow state — that perfect balance between focus and cognitive load, which ultimately enables you to do more in less time.   

Go to Fitness tracker for the brain for the full story.