A truly interactive screen in a contact lens? It was thought impossible until now. However, a US startup has now pulled it off and revealed the first details last week.
The contact lens from the company Mojo Vision incorporates 14K pizels-per-inch microdisplays, a wireless radio, and various sensors, among other things. And yes, the lens is comfortable too, according to a US journalist who got to test the lens first. In a few years, the Mojo lenses will also include a battery.
Subtle interaction
Optometrists, medical experts and technical specialists from companies including Google, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft have been working on the lens for years, but it is only now that a working prototype has been unveiled. When you insert the lens and look straight ahead, your vision is normal. If you look to the left or right, you can browse through a menu and, for example, check your calendar. Mojo Vision calls the technology behind it ‘Invisible Computing’. It hopes this will reduce people’s reliance on devices such as their phones and help them become more aware of the world around them, whilst still being able to see information that is useful to them via augmented reality (AR). “People can’t see that you’re wearing the lens, so the interaction is very subtle,” says Steve Sinclair, senior vice-president of product and marketing.
For people with impaired vision
The first application in the lens is likely to be for people with impaired vision, allowing them to detect edges in real time, among other things. It also highlights objects, making them more distinguishable. After that, more applications will gradually be added, such as tagging faces and real-time translation during conversations. Unlike AR glasses, the content that is displayed can be seen even when you close your eyes.
Incidentally, it will be some time before contact lenses can be used by consumers. They are considered medical devices and therefore have to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), among others. However, clinical studies are already under way.
Source: IEEE Spectrum/AD.co.uk.
Photo: Mojo Vision.
