2 May 2015

Zoom in on the world


How annoying is it when you’re wearing contact lenses and you just cannot see a distant object for some reason whatsoever. You feel like throwing away those irritating contacts into a bin and wearing almost anything else to be able to get a better view.
OMG! Is that you’re friend- standing far away in that corner- hugging someone you don’t know about? how dare she not tell you about a new guy! Or are you sure it’s your friend?  Maybe you didn’t get a clear view of it, how embarrassing would it be if you confronted her for the wrong reason.
For all those who like to spy on others, and think that carrying around a telescope is too much of a headache- this is the technology best suited for you. For all those people who wear contact lenses, with power or without, here’s the most exciting news for you.
High-tech contact lenses zoom with a wink of an eye- a technology that will revolutionise vision as known to us.


How does it work?

Researchers have recently developed tiny telescope containing lenses to boost vision; they zoom and zoom out with the blink of an eye. How cool is that! Imagine how amazing it can get, spying on a neighbour, sitting at your window, without having to use a telescope and no fear of getting caught.

All the wearer has to do is wink-wink and not blink- to switch effortlessly from normal to magnified vision and back.
 AIM: Small mirrors within the lens bounce light around, expanding the perceived size of the objects and magnifying the view- basically like a low magnification binocular.
INGREDIENTS:
Precision cut-pieces of
·        Plastic
·        Aluminium mirrors
·        Polarizing thin films
Along with,
·        Biologically developed glue

ADVANTAGES:  
·        Since the eye needs a continuous supply of oxygen, the device has been made more breathable using tiny air channels that are approximately 0.1 mm wide, within the lens.
·        The latest product tracks eye movement, making it easier to use-meaning- the user doesn’t have to tilt his/her head and position the eye just right in order to use them, unlike other models.


Target audience?

·        For those suffering from low vision or Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), this device holds a lot of promises. There are glasses already on the market for people with AMD that have mounted telescopes, but they tend to look bulky and interfere with social interaction. They also do not track eye movement, so you have to position your eyes and tilt your head to use them.

·        Meant as a form of bionic vision, originally developed for soldiers.



Disadvantages:

·        In case of any technical discrepancies that might occur causing the lens to zoom in and out with blinks rather than winks. What then?
·        What if it’s used for the wrong purposes? Originally developed for soldiers and patients of AMD, what if it’s actually used for spying on people. It might intrude privacy thus violating privacy laws.

The combination of the telescopic contact lenses and optional blink-controlled eyewear represent a huge leap in functionality and usability in vision aid devices and a major feat for optics research. Let’s see what the makers do to overcome the potential discrepancies and violation of privacy laws.