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Bionic Contact Lens May Lead to Overlay Displays

Posted by Zonk on from the i-can-has-that-now dept.

pfman writes "A University of Washington researcher has developed a contact lens including circuitry and a matrix of LEDs. Although not yet a working prototype, this may be a foundation for terminator/robocop style overlay displays in which computer graphics could be superimposed on your normal vision. 'Building the lenses was a challenge because materials that are safe for use in the body, such as the flexible organic materials used in contact lenses, are delicate. Manufacturing electrical circuits, however, involves inorganic materials, scorching temperatures and toxic chemicals. Researchers built the circuits from layers of metal only a few nanometers thick, about one thousandth the width of a human hair, and constructed light-emitting diodes one third of a millimeter across.'" Kotaku notes that this has some obvious gaming implications.

7 of 213 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Um, what? by webheaded · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I highly doubt they planned putting the overlays anywhere but the center of the eye. If they're intelligent enough to make the thing, I'd have to assume they have someone there smart enough to tell them where it's going to work. ;)

    --
    "Those who would sacrifice essential liberties for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - BenF
  2. Re:Um, what? by debianlinux · · Score: 5, Informative

    I believe TFA was referring to placing peripheral components such as wireless reception on the part of the lens that is not used by the eye for viewing.

  3. Re:You can't focus on something that close by currivan · · Score: 5, Funny

    My first app would be AdBlock for real life.

  4. Re:Um, what? by JesseL · · Score: 5, Informative

    You're confusing two different phenomena. The blind spot from the optic nerve is not in the center of the eye. The reason for the astronomers trick is due to the distribution of rods (brightness receptors) and cones (color rectors) in the eye. There are more cones at the center of the retina, but the more sensitive rods are distributed more peripherally.

    --
    "Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"
  5. Re:You can't focus on something that close by Tango42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are you familiar with the standard purpose of a contact lens?

  6. Re:Do the Math by ByteSlicer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Go ahead, try it! You simply cannot focus that close to your eye.
    Warning: do not look at fork with remaining eye!
  7. Re:Um, what? by GroeFaZ · · Score: 5, Funny

    Damn it man, you closely dogded a 7-digit UID, and you DARE to try to talk some sense into a 4-digit UID? He knows almost 3 orders of magnitude more than you! I bet those scientists in question don't even HAVE an account on slashdot!

    --
    The grass is always greener on the other side of the light cone.