Cambridge entrepreneurs taking custom sunglasses to whole new level

BOSTON — One of these days the sun is going to come out – really.  And when it does many of us will happily reach for sunglasses.

We might like the way they look, but many people aren’t not thrilled with the way they fit.

Two Cambridge entrepreneurs have developed a high tech approach to making sunglasses that are personally customized to the shape of a person’s head.

James Cao and Rain Wang were frustrated they could never find a pair of sunglasses that fit very well.  “Our company Skelmet started because me and my business partner both have wider and bigger heads, so we struggled all our lives to find products that fit,” said Wang.

Initially, they plan to market the sunglasses to athletes.

“Customers have a requirement for performance because a lot of them use sunglasses for exercising, whether it’s cycling, running, golfing, playing tennis, or fishing.  All of these sports require sunglasses, so if they don't fit well, sometimes they can slide down, or cut into your nose,” said Wang.

Skelmet developed a process that creates an algorithm based on data collected from a person’s head by measuring and analyzing the curvature of the forehead, the shape of the nose, and the distance between the eyes.

Wang added, “The scan contains millions of points on your head.  So millions of points map out the shape of your head and your exact facial features.”

The glasses start at $269 and can be fitted with prescription lenses.

Wang said this is just the first product they are introducing and their technology could be applied to anything that is worn on the body.

Cox Media Group