We have all seen the moves and read the science-fiction books where there is a HUD over our vision, with targeting cross-hairs and a list of objectives to complete. That very well may be a reality soon enough, minus the cross-hair part. With technology advancing faster and faster, building up to the Singularity concept (Click here to read more the Singularity), LED Contact Lenses have come into early creation. With this innovation, a whole world of limitless possibilities are opened, shifting the world to an augmented reality as these developments from University of Washington and their Innovation Professor; Babak Amir Parviz.
The LED Contact technology was started out as monitoring the level of glucose in people with diabetes by A Swiss company; Sensimed. It works since glucose levels in tear fluid correspond directly to those found in blood, making continuous measuremenst possible, eliminating the need for thumb pricks. Parviz’s design calls for the contact lens to send this information wirelessly to a portable device worn by diabetics, allowing them to manage their diet and medication more accurately.
You can see the LED grid formation in the Contact
The challenge for developers up until this point was creating organically safe electronic contacts for the body. Contacts themselves are safe, but the wiring and circuits involve inorganic compounds, heat, and toxic chemicals. The circuits were built from layers of metal only a few nano-meters thick, about one thousandth the width of a human hair, and constructed light-emitting diodes one third of a millimeter across. They were then sprinkled with a grayish powder of electrical components onto a sheet of flexible plastic. The shape of each tiny component dictates which piece it can attach to, a micro-fabrication technique known as self-assembly while Capillary forces pull the pieces into position. When turned off, the display will become transparent due to the LEDs grid-pattern arrangement. So far the Contact can show red and blue colors, but once green is achieved the Contacts will be able to create pictures in perfect quality. An interesting development is how they are going to be powered. Most people immediately think that we are going to have batteries inside our eyes, but that is weird and terribly inconvenient. What is actually in the works is a pack that you will wear on your belt that will power the Contact via a wireless connection. Other ideas for power include radio-waves and solar power integration.
Maybe a tad exaggeration of a practical HUD but fun nonetheless.
Now, that sounds cool and all, but what does it mean? This mean integration with electronics wherever we go. Screens will be eliminated (save for touch screens for convenience), and most electronics we carry will be storage devices that feed to the lenses. Now, when viewing in the Contacts, its not like the whole display will take up your entire field of vision. The HUD will actually float a few feet away from you, allowing you to still see your surroundings. From your personal screen, your car’s speed can be displayed while driving, GPS directions will feed directly into your vision, and just imagine the multitude amount of apps to be created for your LED Contacts. This, combined with the ever-advancing cloud computing technology, will allow your hands to be free during use. This will also advance thorough job training, gaming where one can be completely immersed in a virtual reality as you hold the controller (or act it out on the Kinnect), and every day life. Yes, your every day life will be advance by this.
I will dispel some people’s fears right now as this issue has been brought up multiple times. “Joshie, what happens if I am watching a horror movie and something scary happens and a shut my eyes but I CAN NOT UNSEE?!?!” First, I laugh at your full-blown panic that would ensue in a situation such as that. Second, that will not happen for several reasons. One being that to rely entire on the LEDs in the device is not completely safe, burning out one’s corneas, and would be a drain on the power reserves. The solution for that is relying primary on back-lighting (lighting from your environment) for the initial contrast, and using the LEDs to fine tune and focus the picture. So, when that scary part happens, you should not see it when you close your eyes but will still be able to hear it, like a normal
Yes, that a rabbit watching YouTube.
movie experience. The other danger of relying on the LEDs for complete lighting is the danger is seizure and epilepsy. With back-lighting in use, it would reduce the sharpness of any flashing colors and other problems that may lead to adverse health effects. These Contacts have been tested on rabbits for 20 minutes at a time and there have been no negative drawbacks (so far, I am sure someone will claim it causes cancer soon enough).
Yes, all these pictures are prototypes of the actual devices (except the HUD one, obviously). When looking into your special someone’s eyes, you will see a ring if cybernetics around their pupil. It does look very cyborg and will definitely start an underground fashion of some sort (so far thinking stuff from Repo the Genetic Opera, or something cybernetic/industrial goth). What this new technology would do for our society? Well, that is a whole new blog post entirely. One that you have no idea how big I dream of with this new technology. Seriously, between you and me, I have a huge world laid out where everything is integrated exactly like this, but to an extreme.
I'm *this* close to saying screw the consequences, I want it... LOL. I wonder if we'll see it within our lifetime?
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12:04 PM
PFF
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hookdonspeed Member
Posts: 7980 From: baltimore, md Registered: May 2008
I can only imagine the side affects that are going to occur when/ if this ever gets on the market. 5 years down the road they will find out it causes cancer. They say holding the phone to your ear is bad, but not they want you to keep a piece of technology in your eye for 8 hours plus. Don't get me wrong I love technology, but this is getting out there. Only the future holds the answer to what will happen next.
I can only imagine the side affects that are going to occur when/ if this ever gets on the market. 5 years down the road they will find out it causes cancer. They say holding the phone to your ear is bad, but not they want you to keep a piece of technology in your eye for 8 hours plus. Don't get me wrong I love technology, but this is getting out there. Only the future holds the answer to what will happen next.
what DOESN'T give you cancer these days? Hell air gives you cancer now, Screw it I WANT ONE! lol that would be awesome, make it blutooth with your car and in the lower part of your eye have your Speed, and fuel levels, then get to the office go inside and connect to your computer and be watching youtube or whatever and still getting your work done!
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12:31 PM
Rallaster Member
Posts: 9105 From: Indy southside, IN Registered: Jul 2009
I can only imagine the side affects that are going to occur when/ if this ever gets on the market. 5 years down the road they will find out it causes cancer. They say holding the phone to your ear is bad, but not they want you to keep a piece of technology in your eye for 8 hours plus. Don't get me wrong I love technology, but this is getting out there. Only the future holds the answer to what will happen next.
Depending on who you talk to anything can cause cancer. Guess what? It seriously doubt I'll live past 70. Cancer is the least of my concerns.
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12:32 PM
hookdonspeed Member
Posts: 7980 From: baltimore, md Registered: May 2008
Powered by the salt in your tears, able to check your blood sugar level and display a warning if its at the wrong level. Able to detect changes in the blood vessels in your eyes and warn of a possible heart attack or stroke.
Able to overlay any media file over reality, talk about your virtual brown bag.
Heads up display, how about blue tooth to the control device and interface it with your car.
What will the future hold? Will we be be able to afford it? How many of these devices already exist but we are too poor to afford them. Who has the adaptive wall paper that changes based on the biorhythms detected when you enter the room?
[This message has been edited by Jake_Dragon (edited 08-15-2011).]
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03:42 PM
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ryan.hess Member
Posts: 20784 From: Orlando, FL Registered: Dec 2002
you're not going to be able to see something that close to your eyes...........
It would have to project into your eye not just display a static image on the eye. But it could flash a warning, so your sugar is high and everything looks red, too low and it looks blue
Cyber eyes, just like William Gibson described (although without the bruising from a street doc's clumsy hand.)
The thing I don't understand about the HUD concept is that you can't move your eye to look at any part of the hud. You only see a very small area at a time. Here's an example.....
Look at the smiley face and ONLY the smiley face, then see if you can read the words below. (You can't look at anything but the smiley, because if you move your eyes, the smily would always be in the center (like in the hud mockup in the article.)
gorilla wombat weasel falcon swordfish octopus
