Slashdot Mirror
Adjustable-Focus Glasses Can Replace Bifocals
Hugh Pickens writes "The NY Times reports that inventor Stephen Kurtin has developed glasses with a mechanically adjustable focus that he believes can free nearly two billion people around the world from bifocals, trifocals and progressive lenses. Kurtin has spent almost 20 years on his quest to create a better pair of spectacles for people who suffer from presbyopia — the condition that affects almost everyone over the age of 40 as they progressively lose the ability to focus on close objects. The glasses have a tiny adjustable slider on the bridge of the frame that makes it possible to focus alternately on the page of a book, a computer screen, or a mountain range in the distance. 'For more than 140 years, adjustable focus has been recognized as the Holy Grail for presbyopes,' says Kurtin. 'It's a blazingly difficult problem.' Each 'lens' is actually a set of two lenses, one flexible and one firm. The flexible lens (near the eye) has a transparent, distensible membrane attached to a clear rigid surface. The pocket between them holds a small quantity of crystal-clear fluid. As you move the slider on the bridge, it pushes the fluid and alters the shape of the flexible lens."
There were only two people in the world who ever looked good in round glasses: John Lennon and Mahatma Gandhi.
This poor lady looks like she needs a wedgie.
The technology is very interesting, but you can't get any traction unless people are willing to actually buy and wear the glasses. As geeks, sometimes we overlook the attractiveness aspect of new technology. We shouldn't, it's half the battle.
My rigid plastic lenses eventually develop small scratches no matter how careful you are.
Sorry. I'll be more careful in the future.
Hey. That's why someone tagged this story !Presbyterians :-) Of course, the people who needed to know that couldn't read it... but still, awesome tag!
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
True. I can't help but think they should instead put a sensor on the feet of the glasses so those of us who can wiggle our ears can adjust them without bringing up our hands.
Oh well, they'll find out about gorilla-arm syndrome soon enough.
won't matter...
Right now it's done manually. Just like we used to manually card wool.
Speaking of getting older, was wool carding the best analogy available or should I get of your lawn?
"He is so stupid. And now back to the wall!" Moe Szyslak
Just get a bigger monitor.
Ask me about my sig!
If you had read the article you would know that they developed a *time machine* in tandem with the glasses so that they could prove their long-term durability.