Benjamin Franklin would be proud. The tinkerer who loved playing with electricity and allegedly invented the bifocals might have been glad to know that one company has now brought the two things together: PixelOptics has designed a pair of powered specs that can track users’ eyes and automatically adjust the glasses’ focal length, depending on if the wearer needs to see close-up or far-away.
The glasses use liquid crystals, which can change how much they bend light when an electrical current runs through them. A video demonstration of what a wearer might see is available on PixelOptics’ website, and the company hopes that the glasses will be available in the United States before the end of 2010.
Peter Zieman, director of European sales for PixelOptics, said the device uses motion tracking software similar to the iPhone, and told The Telegraph:
In essence, glasses haven’t changed all that much since they were first invented. The most recent development was transition lenses that tint in sunlight, but even that was 15 years ago…. Our glasses bring modern technology to an old solution.
Perhaps Zieman doesn’t give other eye-wear inventors enough credit; for example, in 2008 a retired physics professor Josh Silver created a pair of fluid-filled spectacles that could change strength when the amount of liquid inside varied.
I want some of these. Wonder how much they will cost.
These glasses would be amazing if they can indeed be adjusted to each persons visual needs. I'm not how the focusing happens but it appears to be fast enough to be usable. I imagine they'll cost megabucks at first. But having to wear bifocals now, I'd welcome anything that didn't require me deal with those disadvantages.
On the other hand, I'm wondering how soon we'll be able to have quick and effective eye surgeries to fix at least near sightedness and far sightedness. If the surgery technology and/or implants or contacts improves, then it'll effectively render the auto-focusing glasses obsolete.
The Eclectic wrote:... On the other hand, I'm wondering how soon we'll be able to have quick and effective eye surgeries to fix at least near sightedness and far sightedness. If the surgery technology and/or implants or contacts improves, then it'll effectively render the auto-focusing glasses obsolete.
rstevenson wrote:[
Don't we have such surgery now?
Rob
Yes, but it is, alas, not perfect. I would draw the moon I saw tonight so that others could see what I see, if only I could draw; it is not what most see.
Be cool if you could switch them to 3d with the switch of a button. Whats next, XRAY glasses?
Also, its potentially disastarous... if you wear them in a wet climate such as Scotland. ZAAAP.
Paul
"I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark" Muhammad Ali, faster than the speed of light?
