Merck, home to innovations for 350 years, offers us an exclusive sneak peak into the future of Healthcare, Lifescience, Performance Materials and beyond. During the grand opening of the Innovation Center in Darmstadt, we were lucky enough to be one of the first to check out a new generation of ideas “made by Merck”. Here are our three favourite discoveries:
ADJUSTABLE LENSES
Being affected by cataract at the age of 65 years is a chance of 50/50. Despite this horrifying statistic, there is no drug treatment available and vision can only be restored by cataract surgery where clouded lens are removed and replaced by an artificial lens. However, currently available lenses often fail to provide accurate vision for the patient. Merck wants to change this and a team of employees are now developing an artificial and readjustable lens based on substances produced by Merck Performance Materials. The so called Licri-Eye promises patients the restoration of100% of their vision and has the potential to touch millions of lives.
INDOOR FARMING
No green thumb? No worries! Merck is already on it and is looking for an easy solution to grow plants. The concept: a fully automatic, self-fertilizing, water-saving cultivation of plants combined with a special LED light that provides them with exactly the light spectrum they need. This makes it possible to grow plants under highly controlled conditions anywhere in the world despite the outside conditions and seasons. Countries that struggle with conventional agriculture because of heat, cold or dryness can profit from this innovation. It can also be useful for restaurants, who can offer fresh herbs and greens any time. Merck uses this mechanic to produce plant-derived compounds that are used in cosmetics and pharma.
OLED lighting
In the area of innovative materials we made a very interesting discovery: the intelligent OLED Display. It’s a screen, mirror, lamp and window all at the same time. It constantly monitors its environment and reacts to it. For example, it changed from being a lamp to being a mirror when I approached it to take a picture. Check it out:
