DARPA works on ‘virtual reality’ contact lenses
February 2, 2012 | Source: Information Week
(Credit: Innovega)
The Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA) agency is working with Innovega to create wearable contact lenses with tiny, full-color displays that digital images can be projected onto to give the wearers better situational awareness in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) activities, according to the agency.
iOptiks are contact lenses that enhance normal vision by allowing a wearer to view virtual and augmented reality images without the need for f oversized virtual reality helmets,
Digital images are projected onto tiny full-color displays on the contact lenses. This allows users to focus simultaneously on close-up and far away objects while sill interacting with the surrounding environment.
Comments (6)
by Robs ContactLenses
Ahg! My brain is trying to wrap around how technology can fit something so small and thin on an eyeball without obscuring vision! Where’s the power source? And these must be little more than a screen and receiver because I can’t see how a CPU could fit in one of these little contact lenses!
by Improbus
We are the borg. Resistance is futile. Sign me up.
by Alexegz30
If the contact lens can focus so well, why not simply make it to correct vision altogether? You can do away with all other glasses and contacts with one product. Interface with virtual reality is coming. What will appeal to the public will be the practical uses before all the other benefits become must have’s.
by Kristoph77
Tremendous!!! This tech will have very deep ramifcations throughout a wide spectrum of our society and represents a signifacnt step towards the merger of man and machine.
- Instructional programs will be crazy. Download a program to help me change my alternator in my truck and Ill be given the step by step process.
- Facial Recognization- pofiles of friends and accquantinces can pop up and provide me information on them, reminders of something I wanted to ask them or remind of topics to adviod.
- Of course maps, navigation, and current enviromental conditions, readily available with have to pull your phone out of your pocket.
The blank stares into outter space will be annoying however….
by Bubbaloo
AWWW YEA
by Dan Bolivar
Life through a GUI… I can see the practicality of this.
Probably my only primary concern would be interface design the graphics aspect and ease of use. Also, have they looked into long term side effects.
What happens to perception if it’s consistently and constantly bombarded by additional superimposed information?
How long does it take the human eye to refocus on it’s surroundings? Taking into consideration that, while driving for example, a split second in delay could mean a blurry and dangerous situation.
The video gaming application is very exciting, possibly one I would subscribe to without feeling like an offshoot hybrid mandroid.