High-Tech Glasses Help Improve Memory

unassimilatible writes "MIT will reportedly announce new high-tech glasses which they claim will improve memory by up to 50%. The spectacles are implanted with a CPU that sends messages in the form of light to a mini TV screen on the glasses. The messages - like someone's name, or a word like keys or medicine - flash before your eyes at 180th of a second. Pardon me, but I'll wait for the reviews, since I am still smarting from buying those X-ray glasses in the back of magazines." These "memory glasses" were also discussed at the recent International Symposium on Wearable Computers.

Comments

I see great use for these

[Hi_2k]

Why stop at flashing names for a second? If we can get these advanced enough, they may well be able to serve as a monitor for a PDA, Gameboy, or wearable PC. I'd love to surf the web with my sunglasses while sitting in class.

Re:How long until...

[Lord_Slepnir]

Or what if it becomes possible to 'spam' the glasses with either coke / pepsi advertising, or even worse. Can you imaging if suddenly you started getting ads for Herbal Viagra before you eyes?

Re:Subliminal Messages?

[silentbozo]

Actually, I thought "Bleach". You might want to remove "Beach" as a primer...

People IDing

[Animats]

Another reason to implant RFID tags in people.

Killer app: once RFID tags are in garments in stores, this could indicate all the ones that would fit you. Shoppers at sales would love this.

IMPROVE memory?

[canajin56]

Sorry, but I don't think this will improve memory. Subliminal clues may help you when you are wearing the glasses, but I bet that when you don't wear them, you won't be able to remember at all, because you will have learned to rely on them, rather than your memory. They don't assist memory, they replace it.

Glasses New Must-Have Accessory

[Bakajin]

Since wearable computing and its surrounding technology is almost definately going to mature much faster than something as far off as optical implants that can do the same trick without glasses, I wonder if people will stop using lasers and contacts to fix their eyes because they will want to wear glasses as a utility. In fact people with perfect vision might even start wearing glasses.

Re:Why so fast?

[Narphorium]

The problem with using is like a conventional display is that it's no longer subconscious. You would be purposely focusing on what's sceen and not what you should be looking at through the glasses.

For example, imagine using these glasses to give you directions while driving. If you have to focus your eyes on a little screen and read the directions, you're not looking at the road and probably endangering everyone else. If you just "seem to know" which way to turn when you get to the intersection, then you can actually pay attention to the road and avoid running people over.

Tooltips on reality

[allanj]

For years, I've wanted tooltips on reality. You know, move the mouse over a button on the desktop, and a little yellow note will appear, telling you what happens when you press the button. That would be awesome as augmented reality. Fixing the engine of your car, and uncertain what that part does? Look at it for a few seconds, and an explanation will pop up. Trying to remember the name of an uncle you haven't seen in 15 years? Tooltip glasses to the rescue!
What's next - scrollbars on reality? Now THAT would be useful :-)