“Wine Goggles” Give Growers New Vision

Years ago, at our first virtual design sprint with our partners at Technology Association of Oregon, we gathered local growers to offer their perspective on problems they were facing which could be solved through innovative technology. One grower, Bruce Sonnen, Manager at Van Duzer Vineyards, threw out the idea which became “wine goggles.”

In theory, these devices could allow growers to see their plants in a new way and see colors that would indicate problems. At the time, they were focused on the wine industry. Now, Harvest Optics LLC has developed a working prototype and can see applications beyond wine.

A few weeks ago, the team met at Northwest Transplants to show off their technology. We were thrilled to see their idea become a reality and we are proud now to offer this update from their team...

Harvest Optics LLC is proud to announce the successful development and testing of its groundbreaking eyewear technology, designed to assist agricultural workers across varying sectors including but not limited to vineyards, seed nurseries, grass seed, and virtually any other agricultural operation that requires a human to harvest, sort, grade crop health, or perform other vision-dependent tasks. The company, founded by Morgan Hall and Andrew Schmeder in 2023, has recently completed prototype testing and is now accepting pre-orders for the 2023 season at harvestoptics.com.

The journey of Harvest Optics began with a winning concept from the Technology Association of Oregon’s Agricultural Innovation Design Sprint Challenge in 2020. Morgan Hall, CEO of Harvest Optics, envisioned bringing technology from advanced eyewear design to solve the virtually untouched market of vision enhancement for agricultural workers. In 2022, Hall joined with Andrew Schmeder, a leader in functional lens innovation for industrial and consumer markets, to bring the concept into a commercial reality. The specialized lenses enhance workers' ability to perform agricultural-specific tasks, such as assessing ripeness, sorting, pruning, and plant health assessment for a wide variety of crop types.

During the testing phase, Andrew Schmeder, CTO of Harvest Optics, traveled to Northwest Transplants in Molalla, Oregon to demonstrate the eyewear to industry stakeholders, including Bruce Sonnen, Manager at Van Duzer Vineyards, Alex Paraskevas, Polk County Business Retention & Expansion Manager at SEDCOR, Cara Snow, TAO Chief Community Engagement Officer, and Lauren Lucht, Founder/Owner of Northwest Transplants. The technology received an overwhelmingly positive response, with farmers impressed by its potential to improve agricultural productivity and quality.

Harvest Optics' groundbreaking technology offers a competitive edge not only to Oregon-based farmers in vineyard cultivation but also to those in other specialty crop markets. The glasses offer a way to manage crops throughout the year. For instance, farm workers can identify blotches and more efficiency and effectively spot-spray plants. Or, the widened spectrum of colors visible to workers will allow them to see problems before they spread. In reality, we have only scratched the surface of useful applications. By providing an affordable solution to enhance worker productivity and harvest quality, Harvest Optics' eyewear ensures that growers maintain their competitive advantage in an increasingly demanding market.

The company is currently accepting pre-orders for the eyewear, with plans to launch in the 2023 season. Farmers across the agricultural industry are encouraged to apply for early access at harvestoptics.com.

About Harvest Optics LLC:

Harvest Optics LLC is a cutting-edge eyewear technology company founded by Morgan Hall and Andrew Schmeder. The company specializes in creating innovative eyewear solutions designed to enhance productivity and quality control across the agricultural industry, supporting the growth of specialty crop businesses in Oregon and beyond. For more information or to pre-order, please visit harvestoptics.com.