Augmented-Reality Contact Lens Prototype Coming To CES

schwit1 writes with news that one of the big presentations at next week's Consumer Electronics Show will be a set of contact lenses that are designed to augment a user's vision. A company called iOptik will be demonstrating a functioning prototype. The lenses themselves are actually only part of the display — they're paired with eyeglasses that are fitted with micro-projectors which generate the imagery shown on the lenses. "[B]y utilizing the specialized lenses to help users focus on both close and faraway objects — an issue when putting panoramic images inches from the eyes — in conjunction with the glasses to project the media and overlays, Innovega is able to do two things when most wearables do just one. First, it can project 'glance-able' displays, like Google Glass does exclusively where data is pushed to the periphery. But by utilizing the contact lenses with the glasses, it can also project a full-screen HUD, in other words operate in a heads-up display mode similar to what goggle wearables like the gaming-focused Oculus Rift offer. ... 'All the usual optics in the eyewear are taken away and there is a sub-millimeter lens right in the center,' [iOptik CEO Stephen Willey] explained. 'It's shaped, so the outside of the lens is shaped to your prescription if you need one and the very center of the lens is a bump that allows you to see incredibly well half an inch from your eye.' The second component involved is the optical filter that directs light. 'Light coming from outside the world is shunted to your normal prescription. Light from that very near display goes through the center of the lens, the optical filter,' Willey said."

Re:

[HiThere]

Remember, this is a prototype. 5 years ago cell phones were rather clumsy, too, and they'd been on the market for years. Expect the final (i.e., final before they start selling them) version to have a hidden controller, possibly in a belt or shirt-pocket.

Re:

[aiadot]

5 years ago cell phones were rather clumsy

5 years ago was 2009. Touch screen only Android 2.2 and iOS4 smartphones were already out. The difference between a a phone from today and 2009 and a phone from, 2009 and 2004 is much, much smaller (including even the advanced for the time Japanese feature phones). Not disagreeing with your point but, not really a good example.

On a side note I think it's going to take ages until there are processors and batteries small enough for making that lens an useful or desirable product. There is a good chance t

Re:

[ColdWetDog]

Again, this has potential medical / military / industrial uses where price is less of an issue. They may be able to ramp up research and production using high value industries and then give it to the hoi polloi later.

Re:

[N0Man74]

Remember, this is a prototype. 5 years ago cell phones were rather clumsy, too, and they'd been on the market for years. Expect the final (i.e., final before they start selling them) version to have a hidden controller, possibly in a belt or shirt-pocket.

In 5 years, maybe it will even support a camera too Our eyes could finally be used in order to perceive visual information. How cool is that?

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

RTF Summary. The glasses are not a controller, they do the actual projecting of the image (the controller, presumably, is elsewhere, though I'd certainly expect it to be integrated with the glasses eventually - as discussed in TFA). The contacts are... contacts. Clever ones, but passive contact lenses nonetheless.

Re:

[HiThere]

Damn. In that case it's not impressive at all. That kind of thing has been done in the lab for, I think, a decade now. So it's basically just a minor avance in packaging (piled on top of a decade of advances in packaging).

Skynet, here we come!

[DavidClarkeHR]

Sure, we're a few years late (I blame John Connor), but skynet is coming together, piece by piece.

We've already got the NSA, now we're getting terminator vision ... once google maps switches allegiance (and changes their name to cyberdyne), we'll know we're almost there.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Skynet? More like attack of the nerds.

Contact lenses AND glasses? No thanks. I've worn both but never at the same time and I have no intention of entering double hell.

Re:

[The Grim Reefer]

Skynet? More like attack of the nerds.

Contact lenses AND glasses? No thanks. I've worn both but never at the same time and I have no intention of entering double hell.

They'll go great with the suspenders and a belt.

Re: Skynet, here we come!

[ghighi]

I have been wearing contact for a few years now and they have been a good send. For starters no one knows I can't see for sh*t (whereas wearing glasses put you in a different social category altogether) and my ability to look at my surroundings has greatly improved. I would really spend a lot for a display of that kind.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes but SciFi has it upside down. The problem does not come from robots who start thinking for themselves. The problem comes from robots who do exactly as they are told. "I was just following orders" rings a bell?

Pardon me while I put on some mirrorshades

[Noishkel]

I love reading about stories like these... it tickles my nostalgia for things like ShadowRun and Cyberpunk.

Pity though... I probably could use them due to vision related neurological damage. -,,-

Re:

[wiredlogic]

They're made using the same mass production techniques as conventional contact lenses. There's nothing preventing them from being provided as disposables which BTW are only cheaper to produce by virtue of leaving out some finishing steps that retard protein buildup.

Re:

[Noishkel]

No, my problem is that I have a hole in my vision from a giant brain tumor... so unless they can put all the information to the left of my vision it's going to be a dicey preposition.

But if the take off them maybe they can be adjusted to fit my needs.

Allow me.

[burnttoy]

OK. One last time.

These are small.

But the ones out there are far away.

Small... far away.

Ahh... forget it.

Hang on a second...

[wonkey_monkey]

a set of contact lenses that are designed to augment a user's vision.

Isn't that what all contact lenses do?

Re:

[Bite The Pillow]

You misunderstand the word augment, because no they do not.

Re:

[wonkey_monkey]

You misunderstand that I was going for cheap laugh with a silly joke.

Re:

[Daniel Hoffmann]

Well some are used solely to change the user eye color.

Re:

[Solandri]

Generally:

Correct = bring sub-standard vision up to normal standards.
Augment = enhance vision above normal standards.

Worst Possible

[pubwvj]

The worst of both worlds. Glasses and contact lenses. Ugh. Shall we wear a face shield too? Ear protectors? Moon suit?

Re:

[jcochran]

I'm gonna assume you didn't bother to actually read the article. The prototype does not include a camera. I will admit that the possibility of a camera being added in the future exists, but as currently designed, no camera.

I want.

[wjcofkc]

Now.

That's neat and all

[rsilvergun]

but do they have anything (under $1000) for those of us who don't wear contacts?

Laser directly on your retina?

[satuon]

I remember someone telling me a story of a student that put a small laser on his glasses, that would shoot light directly on his retina, in order to produce an image. He used that to cheat on tests.

I always wondered if it was true.

It sounds like a CRT, only your retina is the surface where the scan-lines are produced.

OB Joke...

[tlambert]

I really like the idea of a HUD displaying time and other pertinent information

Give me your jacket, your boots and your sunglasses.

Rainbow's End

[Ukab the Great]

Vernor Vinge wrote an entertaining book [wikipedia.org] based around this technology.