Potential medical applications include helping those with vision problems, including macular degeneration. "About 10 million people in the U.S. have macular degeneration, where the retina in their eyes is less able to discern detail," Willey said. One can imagine including a tiny camera on the bridge of the nose of the eyewear to allow wearers to zoom in on text on a screen or on a soup can, he explained.
Scientists at the University of Washington have conducted research into contact lenses that have displays within them. "However, all we saw reported there was maybe one or two pixels — they had LEDs encapsulated inside a lens, and somehow got power to it for a very short period of time," Willey said. "But they would have to deal with batteries and heating, and we already have megapixel displays. I think that research is more to develop an indicator rather than a display — maybe to give an idea of blood sugar level, for instance."
Innovega plans to deliver prototype devices over the course of 2012 and 2013. "In 2012, we're also aiming to get FDA approval for the contact lenses," Willey said. In 2014, Innovega plans to begin low-volume production for the defense community and possibly those with vision problems. The company also aims for a commercial launch of their product in 2014 or 2015, depending on whether deals can be reached with commercial partners such as gaming companies.
In addition to contact lenses, Innovega's patents also cover lenses implanted within the eye. "There are 900,000 cataract operations a year that replace some portion of the lens," Willey said. "You can imagine giving them a lens that not only helps with real-world vision, but also virtual reality, or access to the Internet."
Also, when it comes to the military, "special operations might really like the features involved with our system, but the last thing they want to worry about are contact lenses behind enemy lines," Willey said. "You might think of hardwiring these in to have them permanently."
Innovega exhibited its work Jan. 8 at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
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12 Comments
Add CommentPart of me is saying, "Wow! That is soooo cool!"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAnd the other part of me is saying, "That is soooo creepy! Implanted in my eye? Eeeyiew!"
But I can see that the world I leave will be a very different one than the world I was born to.
Wow.
Sounds like an exploit waiting to happen. Since they would be wireless, someone could maliciously take it over and plant false information or even make it look like you were walking down a street instead of walking off a rooftop. Murder by Virtual Reality. What is next?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhy must we always look for the next cool toy instead of just getting on with reality?
Have you ever seen Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. It's an Anime where that's pretty much what's happening (though it's a bit more than just a contact lens).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI do think that with these lenses it would be difficult to pull that off; I suspect there would be some transparency to the virtual images that would make it difficult to convince someone of their reality.
I have much the same thoughts as those above "Cool, Creepy, and What about those who can hijack them".
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI personally would feel much more comfortable with glasses (visor on a helmet for military) that provided such information. Something that I could take off quickly and easily- and something I could choose to put on only as needed.
Contacts typically stay in all day- I can't imagine someone wanting to put them in and out continuously throughout the day.
First thought however was- Geordie LaForge. Would be interesting to be able to detect infra-red, ultra-violet, radio wave... I'm sure there would be a use for being able to see that sort of thing- even when not on a star-ship.
This beats the wagon-load of electronics, batteries and bulky goggles achieving similar results during the '90s -
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisthat is, achieving similar results in my dreams.
It'll be a wonderful thing to be able to see your property lines, the market value of the neighbors' houses and cars, whether that pedestrian is a sex offender, the crime rate of areas you visit, the destinations of overflying airliners...
Funny how poeple get upset over the idea that they can be identified through RFID tags or face-recognition devices, yet are oblivious about the same thing being done simply by operating their own legally licensed motor vehicle.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPoeple as well as people.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI've order some rose colored ones. Need to improve the worldview.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisImplanted contact lenses are already common. I am very near sighted and have one implanted behind the iris of my eye.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'd sure like to see a diagram of how you can get a focused image on the retina from an image, or whatever kind of info, on a contact lens, or close to the eye, unless maybe you have a strong variable lens inside the eye.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhy does everything have to be first for the soldiers? Is fighting what we're all about now?
I think most of you missed the point that the contact lens is just a contact lens. The images come from glasses you wear, and the contact lens is built so that you can focus on it even though it's just a couple centimeters from your eye. If the image were in the contact lens itself, it would be out of focus because your cornea does most of the focusing.
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Some tips before you buy online:
Check out online stores: Take your time to look at the brands and prices on as many online retail stores as possible and compare them. Are the products accompanied by company guarantees? Choose a large online store with a strong reputation rather than a small and unknown one because the former will have a huge stock of lenses and can ship goods really fast. Plus, it won’t shut shop overnight, so you can turn to it in case of a problem.
Are there any super deals? If you’re being offered 50% and more discounts on <a href="http://www.therightcontact.com">contact lenses,</a> then, you should buy contacts online. Check if they also offer free shipping because this could be a big saving for you. Find out if the online company you’re looking at offers coupon rate prices or a rebate.
Buy Contacts Online in bulk: The big discounts you’re offered become bigger and fatter if you buy in bulk, so why not consider what’s really good value for your money. You can buy for a year, so you have enough in case some are duds.
Be sure of the lenses you want: Are you looking for hard or soft contact lenses? If you don’t want to get into the routine of cleaning your lenses every day, it’s best to go in for disposable lenses.
Read online reviews: Find out what users say about branded contact lenses before you buy contacts online. These reviews can influence your final buying decision, so it’s worth reading reviews online.
How soon can you wear them? To get your lenses, you should set aside about three business days from the date of ordering them. You must find out if the lenses you want are available immediately or whether they have to be ordered. If they are in stock, how long will they take to reach you?
Can you contact the online store company when in trouble? Do they have 24×7 customer service, in case a problem arises? Find out a hotline number that you can call and keep it handy.
Oh! And don’t forget to see what’s the store’s return policy? Find out this before you buy contacts online, as it’s very important for you. Also, ask if they charge for restocking goods.
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