MIAMI, Aug. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Innovative Eyewear, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUCY) (“Innovative Eyewear” or the “Company”), the developer & manufacturer of smart eyewear under the Lucyd®, Lucyd Armor®, Reebok®, Eddie Bauer®, and Nautica® brands, today announced Harrison Gross, Chief Executive Officer, will present and host one-on-one meetings with investors at Sidoti’s Micro-Cap Virtual Investor Conference, taking place on August 19-20, 2026.

The presentation will begin at 10:45 AM ET on Wednesday, August 19, and can be accessed live here. Innovative Eyewear will also host virtual one-on-ones with investors on Wednesday and Thursday, August 19-20, 2026. To register for the presentation or one-on-ones, visit www.sidoti.com/events. Registration is free, and you don’t need to be a Sidoti client.

About Innovative Eyewear, Inc.

Innovative Eyewear is a developer & manufacturer of cutting-edge AI-enabled smart eyewear, under the Lucyd®, Nautica®, Eddie Bauer®, and Reebok® brands. True to our mission to Upgrade Your Eyewear®, our Bluetooth audio glasses allow users to stay safely and ergonomically connected to their digital lives and are offered in hundreds of frame and lens combinations to meet the needs of the optical, sunglass, sporting goods, and safety eyewear markets. To learn more and explore our continuously evolving collection of smart eyewear, please visit www.lucyd.co.

About Sidoti Events, LLC (“Events”) and Sidoti & Company, LLC (“Sidoti”)

In 2023, Sidoti & Company, LLC formed an affiliate company, Sidoti Events, LLC, in order to focus exclusively on its rapidly growing conference business and to more directly serve the needs of presenters and attendees. The relationship allows Events to draw on the over 25 years of experience Sidoti has as a premier provider of independent securities research focused specifically on small and microcap companies and the institutions that invest in their securities, with most of its coverage in the $200 million-$5 billion market cap range. Sidoti’s coverage universe comprises approximately 150 equities, of which almost 70 percent participate in the firm’s rapidly growing Company Sponsored Research (“CSR”) and Sidoti Lighthouse Equity Research (“Lighthouse”) programs. Events is a leading provider of corporate access through the many investor conferences it hosts each year. By virtue of its direct ties to Sidoti, Events benefits from Sidoti’s small- and microcap-focused nationwide sales force, which has connections with over 2,500 institutional relationships in North America. This enables Events to provide multiple forums for meaningful interaction for small and microcap issuers and investors specifically interested in companies in the sector.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including those relating to retail partners. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking expressions, including, but not limited to, “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “intend,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K under the caption “Risk Factors.”

Investor Relations Contact:

Skyline Corporate Communications Group, LLC
Scott Powell, President
1177 Avenue of the Americas, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Office: +1 (646) 893-5835
Email: ir@skylineccg.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innovative-eyewear-inc-to-present-at-sidotis-micro-cap-virtual-investor-conference-on-august-19-302851641.html

SOURCE Innovative Eyewear, Inc.

Real-time visibility helps officers maintain accountability while individuals stay connected to work, family, and community

CHICAGO, Aug. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For a person under supervision, every night spent at home helps build the foundation for stable reentry. Electronic monitoring makes home-based supervision practical by giving officers continuous, real-time visibility beyond face-to-face check-ins. At the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) Annual Training Institute, August 16–19 in Chicago, Securus Monitoring will demonstrate how connected monitoring technology can help officers maintain accountability while giving monitored individuals the strongest opportunity for long-term success.

Securus Monitoring technology extends connected corrections infrastructure into the community, giving supervision agencies real-time visibility into where individuals are and whether they are meeting the conditions of their release. With that visibility, officers can approve a work schedule, a treatment appointment, or family time with confidence, and can move quickly when conditions change. Agencies can supervise larger caseloads while accountability stays at the forefront. Research from the National Institute of Justice has found that electronic monitoring reduces the risk of failure under community supervision by over 30 percent compared with other forms of community supervision.

“Effective community supervision can strengthen public safety while helping people build stability in the community,” said Kevin Elder, President, Securus Technologies. “Secure, connected technology gives officers a reliable picture of what is happening, so they can extend trust where it is earned and act early where it’s not. This is what allows an agency to keep more people at home, in work, and connected to those who depend on them.”

Technology That Supports Officer Focus and Participant Stability
At Booth #321, Securus Monitoring will be on-site to connect with supervision and parole leadership about two products that make safe home-based supervision possible.

BLUtag provides industry-leading real-time GPS monitoring, empowering supervising officers with precise visibility into an individual’s location, enabling the creation of customized inclusion and exclusion zones around key locations such as workplaces, schools, and residences.SoberTrack® enables efficient, accountable supervision without disrupting daily life by combining remote alcohol testing with GPS verification, identity confirmation, and photo documentation, so officers receive immediate, verified results without requiring field visits, allowing individuals to maintain employment and daily responsibilities.

Together, the tools help agencies maintain active oversight while supporting the day-to-day stability driving successful reentry.

Employment as a Foundation for Successful Reentry
Technology can help someone safely reenter the community and build meaningful employment, creating the stability to stay and succeed there.

This year marks the fifth consecutive year that Securus Technologies has supported the APPA Career & Resource Fair. Across the four fairs held to date, more than 750 people on community supervision have participated, alongside more than 95 employers and 47 service providers across four states. The fair creates an opportunity to connect people directly with employers and resources that can support employment and greater stability while navigating community supervision.

This year’s fair will also include a Securus-hosted fireside chat focused on what it takes not only to secure employment, but to sustain it and build a career while meeting the requirements of supervision. The conversation will bring together perspectives from employers, community corrections, and people with lived experience.

“For people navigating probation or parole, employment represents far more than a paycheck. It provides stability, purpose, and an opportunity to build what comes next,” said Shamia Lodge, Director, Stakeholder Engagement, Securus Technologies. “Over the past four years, we’ve seen more than 750 people on supervision walk through the doors of these career fairs, alongside employers and service providers willing to meet them there. But access to an opportunity is only the beginning. We also have to think about what helps someone keep that job, grow in their career, and successfully meet the requirements of supervision. That is where employers, community corrections, and community partners all have a role to play.”

APPA Annual Training Institute attendees are invited to visit Securus Monitoring at Booth #321 to learn how connected monitoring technology can give officers greater visibility while supporting safe, home-based supervision and stable reentry.

About Securus Monitoring
Securus Monitoring, an Aventiv Technologies company, is the nation’s most experienced and innovative provider of electronic monitoring and facility intelligence solutions. As the original GPS monitoring pioneer, Securus introduced BLUtag®, the industry’s first one-piece GPS device, now in its eighth generation with advanced tamper detection, dual SIM technology, and seamless nationwide coverage. The company provides a combination of field-tested hardware, robust software like VeriTracks®, and 24/7 managed services via the Securus Monitoring Center. With a legacy of innovation, scale, and reliability, Securus Monitoring is the trusted partner helping agencies protect communities, enhance operations, and enable better outcomes. Learn more at https://securusmonitoring.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/securus-monitoring-highlights-how-technology-enabled-supervision-helps-people-return-home-safely-and-build-stability-302851428.html

SOURCE Securus Monitoring

Peer-reviewed publication highlights the use of encapsulated leptin-producing cells to accelerate circadian realignment in preclinical models

HOUSTON, Aug. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Adjusting to a new time zone or work schedule can leave the body’s internal clock out of sync for days, contributing to sleep disruption, metabolic changes and other health consequences. Researchers at Rice University, with the support of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad, and Northwestern University have developed an implantable cell therapy that may help the body adapt more quickly to these disruptions.

In a recent study titled “Encapsulated Leptin-Producing Cells Facilitate Entrainment of Circadian Rhythms in Rodents and Nonhuman Primates,” encapsulated cells engineered to continuously produce the metabolic hormone leptin reduced the time required for animals to adjust to shifts in the light-dark cycle that mimic jet lag and shift work. Published in Advanced Science, the study’s indings demonstrate a new approach to regulating circadian rhythms through metabolic signaling and provide early evidence that engineered cell therapies could be used to address circadian disruption.

“Current approaches for adjusting circadian rhythms rely heavily on precisely timed behaviors such as light exposure, meal schedules or melatonin administration,” said Omid Veiseh, professor of bioengineering at Rice and faculty director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad. “We wanted to explore whether a temporary cell therapy could provide a more practical way to help the body adapt to changing schedules.”

The therapy consists of human retinal pigment epithelial cells engineered to produce leptin, a hormone best known for regulating appetite and metabolism. The cells are encapsulated within microscopic alginate spheres that protect them from the immune system while allowing therapeutic proteins to diffuse into the body. Following a simple subcutaneous injection, the encapsulated cells temporarily elevate circulating leptin levels before naturally losing viability over time.

“Metabolism and circadian rhythms are closely connected, but the therapeutic potential of that relationship remains largely unexplored,” said Martha Hotz Vitaterna, professor of neurobiology at Northwestern University and co-corresponding author on the study. “These findings suggest that metabolic signals can be leveraged to accelerate adaptation to circadian disruptions.”

In mouse studies, animals receiving the leptin-producing cell therapy adjusted significantly faster following both phase advances and phase delays in the light-dark cycle. Mice treated with the therapy adapted to a four-hour schedule delay 50% faster days than in control animals.

To evaluate the translational potential of the approach, the researchers tested the therapy in cynomolgus macaques, whose sleep-wake patterns more closely resemble those of humans. The treatment was well tolerated and reduced entrainment time following six-hour schedule shifts by approximately one day compared to controls.

“The fact that we observed similar effects in both rodents and non-human primates suggests that the underlying biology may be conserved across species,” said Fred Turek, director of Northwestern’s Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology and a senior author on the study.

Researchers monitored multiple physiological indicators of circadian alignment, including activity, heart rate and core body temperature. Across these measures, animals receiving the leptin-producing implants adapted more rapidly to the new schedules than untreated controls.

Importantly, the therapy did not negatively affect sleep. Analysis of sleep architecture in non-human primates showed no reduction in total sleep time, rapid eye movement sleep or non-REM sleep. Researchers also observed increases in slow-wave sleep activity following some schedule shifts, suggesting a potential improvement in sleep quality during recovery.

Beyond demonstrating efficacy, the study also evaluated the safety and practicality of the platform. Blood tests and clinical monitoring showed no signs of significant toxicity in non-human primates, and animals receiving multiple doses over the course of a year experienced no long-term adverse effects. The encapsulated cells remained active for several days before naturally declining, creating a temporary and reversible intervention.

“Our goal was not to permanently alter the circadian system,” Samantha Fleury, first author on the publication, said. “We wanted a therapy that could provide short-term support during periods of disruption and then naturally resolve.”

The researchers believe the platform could eventually be explored for applications involving frequent circadian disruption, including shift work, military operations, international travel and other situations where rapid adaptation to changing schedules is important. Ft

“This work provides further evidence that metabolic pathways can be harnessed to influence circadian biology,” said Jonathan Rivnay, professor of biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering at Northwestern University and a senior author on the study. “More broadly, it demonstrates how engineered cell therapies can be used to deliver biologically active molecules in ways that would be difficult to achieve through conventional dosing.”

The team plans to further investigate the mechanisms linking leptin and circadian regulation and explore next-generation versions of the platform capable of providing tunable or repeatable circadian support.

The research was supported by the 711th Human Performance Wing and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency under agreement number FA8650-21-1-7119.

This news release can be found online at news.rice.edu.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Peer-reviewed paper:

Encapsulated Leptin-Producing Cells Facilitate Entrainment of Circadian Rhythms in Rodents and Nonhuman Primates | Advanced Science

Authors: Samantha T. Fleury, Xuanyi Lin, Peter D. Rios, Christopher Olker, Eun Joo Song, Alejandra Cobos Perez, Cody Fell, Daisy Lopez, Ira Joshi, Hafsa Nasir, Cecelia Curtis, Danna Muringi, Kaiyuan Wang, José Oberholzer, Fred W. Turek, Isaac B. Hilton, Jonathan Rivnay, Martha Hotz Vitaterna, Omid Veiseh

About Rice:

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of architecture, business, continuing studies, engineering and computing, humanities and arts, music, natural sciences and social sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. Internationally, the university maintains the Rice Global Paris Center, a hub for innovative collaboration, research and inspired teaching located in the heart of Paris. With 4,776 undergraduates and 4,104 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 7 for best-run colleges by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by the Wall Street Journal and is included on Forbes’ exclusive list of “New Ivies.”

If you do not wish to receive news releases from Rice University, reply to this email and write “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Rice University, Office of News and Media Relations–MS 300, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005.

About the Rice Biotech Launch Pad:  

The Rice Biotech Launch Pad is a Houston-based accelerator focused on expediting the translation of Rice University’s health and medical technology discoveries into cures. This initiative is designed to help advance internally discovered platform technologies from concept to clinical studies and commercialization. The Rice Biotech Launch Pad will identify and support highly differentiated projects while driving the expansion of Houston as a world-class medical innovation ecosystem. The accelerator will bring together local researchers with a network of industry executives. For more information, please visit https://biotechlaunchpad.rice.edu/.

Media Contact:

Russo Partners
David Schull or Liz Phillips
(347) 956-7697
david.schull@russopartnersllc.com 
elizabeth.phillips@russopartnersllc.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-new-way-to-beat-jet-lag-engineered-cells-speed-circadian-adjustment-302851453.html

SOURCE Rice University