Covered by The Telegraph yesterday, a research team at the Ghent University Centre of Microsystems Technology in Belgium have developed a new type of contact lens that uses the entire surface of the lens to display letters and symbols. Prior to this point, researchers have only been able to create a LED lens that displays a single pixel. However, the technology behind this new development offers the ability to display a large range of pixel sizes as well as a significant volume of pixels on a LCD display. To show off the technology, the prototype shows a large dollar sign across the entire curved surface of the lens.
Conceptually, an image could be displayed on the lens in order to see scrolling text messages or emails that have been sent to a smartphone. Even more interesting, GPS driving directions could actually appear in the field of vision while someone is operating a vehicle.
In the medical field, these lenses could be used to limit the amount of light a person can see after they experience a form of trauma to one of their eyes. That could also be programmed to naturally allow more light into the damaged eye as the healing process progresses.
Researchers also indicated that the technology could create adaptive contact lenses that lighten or darken depending on the sunlight in the immediate area. Similar to eyeglasses that are coated with a light-transitioning material, the contact lens would provide the same function as a pair of sunglasses when outside. In addition, people could utilize the lenses to cosmetically change the color of their eyes and select different colors at any time using a mobile application.
Regarding the timeline for application development, head researcher Professor Herbert De Smet stated “Now that we have established the basic technology, we can start working towards real applications, possibly available in only a few years.” When asked about the development process by The Inquisitor, De Smet said “Normally, flexible displays using liquid crystal cells are not designed to be formed into a new shape, especially not a spherical one. By using new kinds of conductive polymers and integrating them into a smooth spherical cell, we were able to fabricate a new LCD-based contact lens display.“
Wow. Now I can be interrupted without blinking an eye….
Ginger
If you have moderate to severe astigmatism, this will never be for you..
I suppose this may be THE VERY EPITOME OF A STUPID QUESTION, but what is the significance of there being a “Cash sign” at the center of that visual aid?….
http://tomhaverfoods.com/images/tom2.jpg
Does this fall under the “hands free” rule for using your phone (for texting) and driving? Not that it matters, this seems like it would be more of a distraction to drivers and should be outlawed before it even comes to market. Lets try and innovate things to better the world vs. coming up with more ways for people to destroy it!
Impossible to focus on something that close
Now I can crash with dignity
I wear contact lenses and would not stick that in my eyes…
Torchwood!
When I can mentally reply to the text, give me a call.
Oh Hell No!
well, that sounds quite distracting.
oh great…… yikes!
I can’t decide if that’s cool or scary as hell.
that would be Cool if it could use Google Translate to automatically detect foreign languages and translate them on the Spot.. oh snaps! :)-
OH WOW!!Now that’s an item for those with more money than brains and full of self importance :)
I wonder if there’s a way to discover the assembly language of the Mind, so as to re-program our visual cortex to see that which we are programmed to see by God. :)
What’s happens when you receive a text when your driving and now you can’t see the road.
DREAMS
As some already pointed out, you won’t be able to focus on the lense, it’s way too close to your eye. Only viable uses for this would be medical like the article mentioned.
Now what would be cool (if lenses like this really worked) is if they passively enchance your vision in certain situations, like increased night vision, alerting you of hard to see moving objects at night. Then again I’d rather see this technology in a pair of glasses.
I can see some applications… Maybe military…. But for me… nope.. I don’t think so!!! Oh…. And I do love my iPhone!!!
Stupidity works!
how is your eye supposed to focus on that?
I want one
That’s great, so now when some idiot crashes their car into someone doing the right thing by not using their phone in the car, Cops won’t know that they were actually texting and driving unless they have retinal scanners or a really keen eye.
Let’s just keep making inventions that will sell to morons of the cell phone generation while the rest of us with common sense just try to survive as yet another danger is inflicted on us.
Lmao btw @ Kim’s amazing iphone that didn’t correct her “sis” that was supposed to be “did”. Yeah, real amazing device.
Mac, it links to your phone uumm still staying with my iPhone 5 – guess I sis not pay attention to that part.
TV Lenses next.
ok! So …. you are driving … 80mph … between 4 cars … and suddenly your wife sends a message that divorces you! Celebrate or not … thats dangerous …
Why is this useful? Does anyone ask that question, or care?
In what universe could we possibly need this?
That above iPhone comment is what makes me rage about Apple fandom. I bet once they brand it the iLense you’d be all over it.
Kinda scary ya know
That’s a bad idea
Its a cool idea but I will stay with my iPhone 5. Love it. Been with Apple 4ever. My iPhone is another appendage.
Nutty!
Amazing. How would it link with your phone, though? Bluetooth?