"We have a very pleasant collaboration with GBO. The people at GBO are knowledgeable and deliver quality. But most importantly, I chose to work with them because the design, development, and production are all in one hand. This saves a lot of coordination and hassle. The responsibilities are clear, which is also quite convenient from a legal standpoint." This is what Toine Schoutens, founder and owner of Chrono Eyewear, the company that brings Propeaq glasses for light therapy to the market, says.
Light influences our sleep-wake rhythm, energy, mood, and performance. With his company FluxPlus, Toine Schoutens advises businesses and organizations on optimizing light conditions for employees. One of the tools he uses is the Propeaq glasses, equipped with built-in blue LEDs that make you feel more energetic, similar to the morning light on a beautiful day. For those who want to sleep, orange lenses can be inserted into the glasses in the evening. The color of the setting sun naturally makes us feel sleepy. An accompanying app provides the right schedules for using the glasses.
Wake-Up Light, SmartSleep, Energy Light. A company like Philips offers a wide range of products focused on light therapy, which has now become a large global market. Toine Schoutens was involved in the development of the first devices and systems in this field back in the 1990s. Trained as a nurse, he became fascinated by the powerful effects of light on our biological clock and performance. He immersed himself in the topic through clinical research and, importantly, practical applications.
In 2008, Schoutens gained international attention. He developed a light therapy system for the Dutch swimmers participating in the Olympic Games in Beijing to eliminate the effects of jet lag and help them peak at unusual times for top athletes, whether early in the morning or late at night. He used large light boxes for this purpose. Thanks in part to the Dutch success, swimming coach Jacco Verhaeren became a big fan of this approach. Leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, it was he — at that time coaching the Australians — who encouraged Schoutens to turn his long-standing idea into reality: replacing the light boxes with a compact pair of glasses.
With the help of light therapy in the Propeaq glasses, athletes can perform at their best.
Schoutens enlisted GBO's help. 'I had known Jeroen op ten Berg from GBO for a while through the network in Southeast Brabant, especially since they are regularly involved in products related to innovation and sports.' This led to a close and long-term collaboration, from the initial sketches to delivery at the Chrono Eyewear warehouse in Tilburg. GBO also assists with redesigning or adapting the glasses for changing or new markets and target audiences, ranging from night shift workers — especially in healthcare — to top athletes, business travelers, and individuals with sleep disorders. GBO can also explore new applications and establish connections with other companies as potential partners, drawing from their own extensive network of businesses, particularly in the Brainport region and beyond.
We are known for our distinctive designs, with which we have already won many prestigious design awards. We develop products with the right choices of materials and constructions, using knowledge of the latest technology and always with attention to people and the environment.
