Early embodiment of contact lens display, Canadian patent application 2280022, 1999 July 28th
Abionic contact lens is a proposed device that could provide a virtual display that could have a variety of uses from assisting the visually impaired to video gaming, as claimed by the manufacturers and developers.[1] The device will have the form of a conventionalcontact lens with addedbionics technology in the form of ahead-up display,[2] with functional electronic circuits andinfrared lights to create a virtual display[3] allowing the viewer to see a computer-generated display superimposed on the world outside.[4]
An antenna on the lens could pick up a radio frequency.[5]
In 2016, work on Interscatter[6] from the University of Washington has shown the firstWi-Fi enabled contact lens prototype that can communicate directly with mobile devices such as smartphones at data rates between 2–11 Mbit/s.[7]
Development of the first contact lens display began in the 1990s.[8][9][10]
Experimental versions of these devices have been demonstrated, such as one developed bySandia National Laboratories.[11] The lens is expected to have more electronics and capabilities on the areas where the eye does not see.Radio frequency power transmission andsolar cells are expected in future developments.[12] Recent work augmented the contact lens with Wi-Fi connectivity.[7]
In 2011, a functioning prototype with a wireless antenna and a single-pixel display was developed.[13]
Previous prototypes proved that it is possible to create a biologically safe electronic lens that does not obstruct a person's view. Engineers have tested the finished lenses on rabbits for up to 20 minutes and the animals showed no problems.[14]
