Seeing Machines

A designer of technology that tracks eye movement, Canberra-based Seeing Machines has two products ‘on the block’ and ready to commercialise, with a third due later this year.

An update of the driver state sensor (DSS) system, launched in early July as the DSS2, includes improvements of its ability to monitor drivers’ levels of fatigue and distraction. Chief executive Nick Cerneaz says the DSS2 has beaten off all other rivals in research by car manufacturers, works at night and can even work through sunglasses.

Having worked with major oilfield services company Schlumberger on tests for some time, Cerneaz says pre-launch sales have already been made and sees other opportunities with fleet operators in the resource industry where trucks are carrying extremely valuable loads.

But, with Lexus having introduced an equivalent design in its new model, he is eyeing the passenger car market as one that seems primed for penetration. To this end, the group is working with Hella – a ‘Tier 1’ German manufacturer of electronic components for car manufacturers such as BMW, Audi, Ford and Volkswagen – which Cerneaz says ‘has already been marketing the product to OEMs’. But he warns that it takes ‘three or four years’ for car manufacturers to choose all the bits for a new car model, so patience will be required.

Elsewhere, Seeing Machines has a new version of its faceLAB technology, used by product developers and market researchers, and later this year should see the launch of a desktop version of its TrueField Analyzer, a device designed to improve the glaucoma detection process. Cerneaz expects it to be popular with ophthalmologists because Truefield is objective rather than subjective – as other tests can be – and detects problems much quicker. Further forward, Cerneaz has adopted a license model for the company's software to make Seeing Machines technology available to biometrics, robotics and computer game specialists.

Seeing Machines, which lost A$141,000 (£60,000) for the half to December, is high risk but the announcement of any product deals will be significant. Trading the 3p issue price of 18 months ago, avoid the shares until sales accelerate further.