One look at subway passengers is enough to understand that mobile phones have changed the way we communicate (and we don’t). But it is also clear that the evolution of these terminals is slowing down. A decade ago there was a qualitative leap, but today manufacturers are releasing more cameras or megapixels. Could we be on the brink of a technological breakthrough? Augmented and mixed reality and the development of new contact lenses and smart glasses suggest we are.
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How do smart contact lenses work?
The ultimate goal of smart contact lenses and smart glasses is to liberate us from the tyranny of our cell phones. This is achieved through the use of non-intrusive devices that perform essential computing functions. This is known as: “Invisible Computing” A term coined by a cognitive science professor Don Norman University of California in the late 20th century. In this new paradigm, like mixed reality glasses and wearables, technology will adapt to your needs and your body, showing you information only when you need it.
To achieve this, semi-transparent materials that embed circuitry and display information on a lens substrate are being researched. Due to the nature of the device, images involve eye movement. Smart contact lenses are expected to integrate this type of technology.
- Autofocus function
- radio antenna
- processor
- Sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, thermometers, etc.)
- MicroLED or similar display
It’s still too early to tell which direction this new generation of contact lenses will go. Also on other devices such as mobile phones and cloud.
This type of research has been ongoing for several years. In fact, Google announced that he would develop smart contact lenses that measure blood sugar in 2014, but the project never materialized. Then came Google Glass, which was also not very well received. Apple is rumored to be planning augmented reality glasses that go largely unnoticed. But so far, no one seems to have achieved the goal. But it could happen soon.
First Working Prototype of Smart Contact Lens
A US manufacturer has announced that it has completed the first working prototype of a smart lens. The new device is the “scleral” lens. This means it covers the entire eye, not just the pupil and iris. According to its developers, they’ve successfully integrated the display, communication system, and battery into a small convex sheet.The first generation displays monochrome images at a density of 14,000 pixels per inch.
Apart from hardware, operating systems and user interface (UX) development have also made great strides, enabling new applications and use cases to be tested with partners and consumers. The combination of software and integrated hardware solutions will allow this technology to be tested in real-world scenarios over the coming months and years.
The first goal of the new contact lenses is to provide a vision-enhancing system that allows people with partial vision to identify items such as road signs. However, with the promise of exponential growth in applications, we are also considering partnerships with sports shoe manufacturers and fitness companies.
Main uses of smart contact lenses
The first applications of smart contact lenses will display basic data such as airport boarding gate numbers, distances to objects, and steps taken in a training session. Later, as the technology becomes more pervasive, we may find out that:
- dynamic focus. The lens detects whether the wearer is reading nearby text or looking at a distant object and automatically focuses.
- health monitoring, thanks to the measurement of glucose, intraocular pressure, or eye temperature. In the future, these lenses may be able to detect tumor markers.
- Augmented Reality and Mixed RealityAs soon as contact lenses can display complex images and have adjustable opacity, users will be able to see virtual objects.
- basic application Compass, map directions, calendar reminders, etc. are limited to mobile phones and computers.
- administration of drugs For the treatment of diseases such as glaucoma.
In order for these applications, and many as yet unknown, to be realized, major scientific and technological breakthroughs Smaller batteries require processors and circuits. There is also a need to improve the ergonomics of contact lenses so that they can be worn comfortably all day long. Who knows if one day we’ll read an article like this about smart contact lenses. Just in case, you can subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page.
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