Who are the men behind those cool shades? Why, Battelle researchers, of course.

Sunglasses have long been a symbol of the cool and hip, and Battelle researchers, long recognized as the coolest of the cool in the world of technology, have further enhanced this image by helping client Leonardo Inc. develop a pair of high-tech, next generation sunglasses.

Leonardo recently introduced the sunglasses under the trade name, Sundials. The sunglasses can be instantly adjusted by hand to accommodate changing lighting conditions.

The glasses have two sets of lenses that allow the adjustment. The outer pair are standard polarized fixed lenses. Mounted inside the standard lenses is a second set of colored polarized lenses that can rotate by moving a small gear on the top of the glasses. As the gear moves, the rotating polarizers interact with the light filtering through the outer pair of lenses, causing the inner polarizers to darken or lighten, depending on the rotation.

"The Battelle project team helped select materials for the film used in the polarizers," said Dave Robbins, a researcher in Battelle's Polymer Center.

Leonardo is marketing the sunglasses for sports enthusiasts, such as skiers and fishermen.

"A skier, for example, would be able to adjust the sunglasses as lighting conditions on the slopes change," Robbins said. "A fisherman could change the darkness of the lenses when the lighting conditions change from bright sun to overcast, or if there is a particularly strong glare coming off the water."

To contact the manufacturer, call Laura Weinberg at 800.755.2726.

Battelle serves industry and government by developing, commercializing, and managing technology. With a wide range of scientific and technical capabilities, Battelle puts technology to work for clients in 30 countries.