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Belgian Researchers Build LCD Contact Lenses
First time accepted submitter nickvad writes "The Belgian Centre for Microsystems Technology has built a spherical LCD display in a contact lens. The technology is groundbreaking and holds a wide range of applications from medical to cosmetic applications and more. The LCD technology has the potential to be used as a productivity or a social tool, paving the way for futuristic technological innovations like Google Glass."
People talking into headsets while walking down the street just isn't creepy enough.
It is not similar at all to Google Glass. From the article:
As for the actual purpose, well, you'll just have to RTFA... :)
"Why is it called the eyePhone?"
about the best this could be useful as, is as a flash protection optical device. Couple a thin film photocell to the LCD layer, so that a bright light automatically powers the LCD and dims the light that reaches the eye. That way it wouldn't need all that data bus hanging off of it.
For an image display? Useless. The focal distance is way too close for the human eye. The resolution sucks balls. Displaying an image would require a data bus, and I don't want that crap irritating my eyeballs by hanging out plastic ribbon cables.
For welding goggles? Kick ass!
Protecting soldiers from flash burned retinas? Kick ass!
Displaying swirlies on your eyeballs as a conversation piece? Dude, you have ribbon cables hanging out of your eyes.
Augmented reality? What the fuck are you smoking? I want some.
Not focus _on_, but focus _with_ these contact lenses. Now that they have figured out how to make very thin spherical membranes (in the FA) with optical quality, these could be used for any number of other devices. I'm thinking of the holy grail of contact lenses--active focus (by adding or subtracting small amounts of fluid between two layers to change the lens.
is it even possible to focus on a display that is literally on your cornea
Nope. Despite what the summary says, this isn't intended to provide a view to the wearer at all. It's purely cosmetic - people looking at you could see dollar signs in your eyes, and you might be able to use your contacts as sunglasses.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
That's most likely "floaters", and not dust on the cornea.
http://www.drhaefs.com/medical_eye_exam/eye_floaters.html
Essentially, they are sluffed off epithelial cells floating around in the humor inside your eyeballs.
... we've got contacts like that already for "bifocal" use -- and dynamically black out ...
Peril Sensitive Contacts?
http://vimeo.com/46304267