A while ago, I came up with a nifty idea that I’ve been elaborating on. It involves using micro/nano-computers to display images onto a contact lens. In this way, virtually everyone will wear contact lenses, and it could make glasses merely a fashion statement. But I decided to take it a step further than just a lens that holographs images, but instead interacts with local surroundings and handles the environment.
Eye Display and HUD
Like in most video games, there is a HUD which essentially shows you a display of your stats, health points, and progress in the game. Likewise, if a contact lens were able to project light into the eye, a similar view like what is seen in video games could be made possible. Of course, you would have the option of turning the display on or off by moving your pupil to the "hide button" located in the upper right-hand corner of your viewpoint, or possibly by just thinking about it with your brain. Perhaps with the assistance of remote monitors around the body, more detailed statistics on health could be provided to the user. The HUD would allow for so much more, and even have plug-ins for extendibility. Such features might include calling a number by moving your eye across the dial pad presented to you, text messaging or instant messaging friends possibly by decoding linguistic thoughts, managing a daily planner and calendar, receiving news and information, browsing and accessing the Internet, and even possibly interacting with your environment. As you can see, just about everything that can be done with small gadgets and computer technology today could be condensed into a small lens in the future. The engineering for it is highly plausible, even by today’s standards, and is something that could even be seen in the near future.
Next Version: Interactive Gadgets and Environment Control
Assuming that the device gains wide acclaim and be custom use by the average user, it would be ideal to have the lens do even more by interacting with the local environment. There could be something similar to a mouse cursor on the lens screen; a pointing interface. With this, a user can select an object that he/she is looking at and the signal can thus be transmitted to that object using various (properly encrypted) wireless communication means. For example, controlling the functions on a "terminal" such as a highly interactive TV, a home computer, or an ATM at a bank. Or, it could be as simple as adjusting the level on a fan in your bedroom, or turning a light switch on or off. You would just simply have to look at the switch or light and select "on". Other viewing features might be possible with the lens to upgrade its usefulness, such as by providing sights on different spectrums, infrared, or even night-vision. A user could also digitally zoom and of course be able to correct any kind of vision problems or blur. The lens would also have a micro-camera to take pictures or record movies. With the advance in technology with data storage, it may not be far fetched to some day be able to record a person’s entire life onto a small hard drive.
Disadvantages?
The only drawback might be that you never want to take them out; future lens production could fix the comfort of the lens with your eye, making it possible to last for extended use.
What About Power?
Recharging the lens would involve simply taking them out, and placing them in its storage container. The storage container would be responsible for recharging the small batteries contained within the lens by sending electrically charged particles through the contact lens liquid. An alternative method, considering that eyes always require light, would be to use miniature solar pads.
Other Uses and Even Further
If that wasn’t enough, future technology could allow the lenses to display fully-fledged simulated 3D environments to the user’s eyes. As the lenses do require working in sync, they would require to communicate with each other on a constant basis, or communicate with an external, more powerful processing device. Since our eyes are our viewing gateway to the world, there is an awful lot to be taken advantage with this kind of technology. The lenses would allow communication with any conceivable device, so just about anything is possible once such a technology is implemented. If contact lenses like this are truly able to provide a comfortable, responsive and useful interface such as this, they would certainly be very popular. Already there are glasses that can perform similar feats, why not take it to the next level? Why bother typing and clicking, carrying around clunky gadgets, bothering to find your remote control for your TV, or even have to use your brain to remember anything at all when you can just simply buy the latest "Nu-Lens" and use Wikipedia and Google instead? Indeed, it is inventive, it could be distracting, have technical problems, get in the way of our daily lives, and make us lose touch of our reality. But what new device doesn’t do that already? It seems the consumer is more attracted to the handiness and the portability of things—in this case, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for such a product to occur. If anything, there are probably a couple patents for the idea; if not…don’t forget the one who gave you the idea!