Google Glass May Be Very Short-Lived If Google Keeps Developing Bionic Contact Lenses

 Smart Contact Lenses  

Google has applied for a patent application that takes one of the essential features of Glass and embeds it into a contact lens for various potential uses.

Showing how rapid some technologies advance, Google has recently applied for patents concerning the development of smart contact lenses—this before Google Glass is even fully introduced.

The latest patent application uncovered by Patent Bolt features systems for creating tiny cameras that fit onto a contact lens, and are controlled by the user's eye movements and blinking.

"Imagine being able to use your smart contact lens camera to naturally zoom in on the stage at a concert without having to hold bulking binoculars."

The latest patent application regarding future smart contact lenses mainly relates to systems and/or methods for capturing image data representing a scene in a gaze of a viewer via a thin camera integrated on or within a contact lens, processing the image data, and employing the processed image data to perform functions locally on the contact lens or remotely on one or more remote devices.

Image Source - Patent Bolt

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According to the application, the image data can be processed to detect light, colors, pattern of colors, objects, faces, motion, or any other suitable information that can be derived from processing one or more images. Also, the camera position on the contact lens can be of a shape, size, opacity, and/or positioned so as not to obstruct vision through an opening of a pupil of an eye when worn.

One example on the application shows how a visually impaired person using the contacts to scan raw image data of oncoming obstacles when crossing a street. The smart lenses could use this data to send an audio alert to the person’s smartphone advising them when it’s safe to cross.

In another example, the device is presented as an alternative to binoculars.  "Imagine being able to use your smart contact lens camera to naturally zoom in on the stage at a concert without having to hold bulking binoculars," writes Patent Bolt's Jack Purcher.

Although Google may never release this idea as a fully developed consumer product, the application does suggest that people within the company have thought about this at length.  It is also probable that the work reflects the DARPA-Google connection on this and other technological development.

So, will you be getting a pair of Google Glasses, or waiting for the (potentially less annoying and violence-causing) contact lens version?


SOURCE  Patent Bolt

By 33rd Square

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