In the movie “The Terminator”, Arnold Schwartzenegger’s robotic killing machine needed only glance at an individual before his eyes would display a computer screen of vital information about the person. While once just a cool visual effect in science-fiction films, researchers recently moved one step closer to making such “computer vision” a reality.
Engineers at the University of Washington have managed to embed electronic circuits and LEDs directly into contact lenses. While no human trials have been attempted yet, the lenses were tested on rabbits, who wore the contacts for up to 20 minutes at a time without exhibiting any adverse reactions. Though the circuits and LEDs are not actually functional in the lenses at this point, they do indicate potential for the technology and pave the way for further development. The prototype lenses also offered no vision correction, but researchers believe that could be another eventual possibility.
While a lot of work still needs be done before people start walking around with bionic eyes, just the fact that a prototype of the contact lenses has been crafted is in an achievement in itself. Researchers working on the project faced the challenge of constructing electrical circuits from layers of metal thinner than strands of hair, and light-emitting diodes that measured a third of a millimeter across. The components also had to be flexible enough to attach to the bendable lenses, and, most importantly, the lenses had to be biologically safe for insertion into the eyes.
Now that researchers have proven that actually constructing electronic lenses is realistic, the possibilities of what they can be used for seem almost endless. In an article from the University of Washington Office of News and Information, author Hannah Hickey suggests drivers or pilots could use them to constantly remain aware of vehicle readings, such as speed and fuel levels. Meanwhile, in the gaming world, players could wear the lenses to become completely immersed in video games – the ultimate virtual reality experience. And, in our Internet-obsessed culture, people could peruse online screens while walking down the street.
"Looking through a completed lens, you would see what the display is generating superimposed on the world outside," said Babak Parviz, a UW assistant professor of electrical engineering. "This is a very small step toward that goal, but I think it's extremely promising."
Up next for the computer lenses are even more improvements. Researchers intend eventually for the lenses to incorporate wireless communication to send and receive information. They hope to power the whole system using a combination of radio-frequency power and solar cells placed on the lens. And, though a full-display version of the lenses probably won’t be produced for some time, researchers suggest that a sample version displaying just a few pixels could be made “fairly quickly”. All signs seem to indicate that people could be looking at the world through the eyes of a computer very soon.
