The American company Innovega is presenting its augmented reality contact lenses, iOptik, at CES 2014 in Las Vegas.
The potential "rival" of Google Glass was first heard in 2012, when the company signed a contract with the US Pentagon's DARPA to develop a prototype for military use, but since it is obvious that such technology could have a variety of applications, Innovega has also made progress in adapting iOptik to more "peaceful" data.
At this stage, however, the system also requires the use of glasses, which act as a projector that projects an image onto the contact lens, which in turn acts as a “filter”, separating the real world from the digital environment and then unifying the two images into one. The end result is that the user obtains a “heads up display” in their field of vision, where, in addition to the real world, they also see digital material/elements – just like in movies and science fiction stories, where digital data is projected directly into the user’s eye.
According to the company, this technology allows users to simultaneously focus on objects that are both close to them and in the distance, unlike other eye monitors, which create the illusion of an object that is in the distance so as not to create problems with "normal" vision.
The ultimate goal is to create a device that is suitable for both everyday activities (driving, exercising, apps) and entertainment, such as watching movies and playing games. Also, the lenses, if worn without the special projector glasses, function as regular, corrective contact lenses.
Currently, iOptik – which supports Android devices – still has a ways to go before it hits the market, as it has yet to receive FDA approval. As the company's CEO, Steven Wiley, told CNET, that could happen in late 2014 or early 2015, and the company is already in talks with potential partners to adapt iOptik to consumer data.
So far, Innovega has received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), DARPA and an unnamed Asian company that is looking to make a strong entry into the wearable electronics space in countries such as China and South Korea.
Source: naftemporiki.gr
