Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Not sure where to begin with this post to be honest as it seems so way out in left field that I find it hard to believe, but researchers at the University of Washington “have developed a contact lens with the potential to project a telephone display directly on to the retina.” That means that in the future rather than pick up a text message of your mobile phone you could just “stare intently at a projected image in front of your eyes.”

“Our goal is to integrate a display which can do everything that an iPhone or computer does now – but in front of your eye. A user could manipulate the document by blinking or by using his voice.” said Babak Parviz, Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Washington

As someone that wears contact lenses from time to time I am both intrigued and slightly alarmed by this - especially when they expand the use to “monitor chemical levels in the body”, probably a good thing for sugar levels and diabetes etc. but not to sure that I want a lens telling me when I am drunk, although to be fair my eyes tend to tell me that already I guess.

Looks like there is still some way to go with the testing though which is good news as sticking anything that close to your eye that carries a functioning circuit must generate some heat. Still the potential is endless - night vision for soldiers, training information for service personal etc.

As I said pretty futuristic and hard to believe, but fascinating at the same time.

Via [The Times]