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Bionic contact lenses could allow users to read emails

Scientists envision that computer contact lenses currently under development could eventually be used to view images, read emails and even watch films.

COMPUTERISED CONTACT LENSES currently being developed could allow users to view messages and images without having to turn on a computer or glance at a smart phone.

The lenses work by projecting visual information into a person’s field of vision. Although the visuals being used are rudimentary at the moment, researchers envision that they could eventually include complex information such as emails and websites – and even films, games and directions.

It is also hoped that wearers could use the contacts to enlarge points in the distance which the naked eye would be unable to see.

Researchers at Washington University have reported good progress on the ‘bionic contacts’, having completed a round of animal trials that produced no reported ill side-effects, the Daily Mail reports.

Some practical problems have been noted – for example the prototype works only when a subject is no more than a few centimetres from a power source, so a way of charging the lenses would need to be developed.

The BBC reports that another team is working on similar technology, although for medical reasons: Swiss company Sensimed had produced a lens which uses computer technology to monitor the eyes of glaucoma sufferers.

The results of the study have been published in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering.

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5 Comments
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    Mute Clarevirtually
    Favourite Clarevirtually
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    Mar 5th 2017, 8:38 AM

    Hurry up Trinity. I’ve only 50gig left on my laptop!

    130
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    Mute Donal Proctor
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    Mar 5th 2017, 8:38 AM

    Well done TCD for bringing such talent to ireland for us to learn from.

    55
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    Mute Denis Moynihan
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    Mar 5th 2017, 11:07 AM

    Well done to the buckos. Best leave the maths to them though; 1000 times more isn’t 1000%. I know it’s been a while since maths week but it should be more like 100,000%

    42
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    Mute Sean
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    Mar 5th 2017, 8:53 AM

    @thejournal Ladz you need a new bank of images for yez er stories – http://www.thejournal.ie/paedophiles-cybercrime-netherlands-3270279-Mar2017/

    41
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    Mute Keith D'Arcy
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    Mar 5th 2017, 8:52 AM

    Latency would be a major issue on a mechanical drive at that capacity and it isn’t mentioned.

    29
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    Mute Early Cuyler
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    Mar 5th 2017, 9:23 AM

    @Keith D’Arcy: Finally got an SSD and now it’s a laugh hearing the storage drives spin up… Can’t justify an upgrade for at least another year or so.

    Supercooled solutions rarely catch on unless there’s a crucial application. Maybe we can use them for archiving stuff in space?! For other impractical solutions see holographic, chlorine and liquid storage. That’s not to diminish the discovery, lest we fall into the trap of futurism. All of the ones I’ve mentioned are incredible feats of engineering.

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    Mute Elma Phudd
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    Mar 5th 2017, 9:40 AM

    The point here is that it operates at room temperature. I’m sure it would fit nicely into a tiered storage scenario where the high IOPS and often accessed data could sit on Flash. It’s bloody amazing in my head anyway.

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    Mute David Mac Shite
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    Mar 5th 2017, 10:01 AM

    Pffft….. they did this on Blue Peter 30 years ago using toilet rolls and double sided sticky tape.

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    Mute Richard Brady
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    Mar 5th 2017, 9:24 AM

    I would fear that the use of these drives as the norm is nearing its end date. Solid state drives are becoming cheaper by the month. All this may be at the very best be a few years to late. Great science all the same, well done lads and lasses.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Mar 5th 2017, 10:22 AM

    Not really. Solid state might be the way forward in personal computing but for servers etc a mechanical drive with 1000 times the capacity for say 10 times the cost is pretty attractive.

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    Mute The Crant
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    Mar 5th 2017, 10:01 AM

    All in the computer and nothing in the head

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Mar 5th 2017, 1:37 PM

    More Vapourware to get hopes up and then it never materialises. Ill file with the articles from 10 years ago about breakthrough batteries that will have laptops running 50 hours on a charge

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    Mute winston smith
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    Mar 5th 2017, 6:14 PM

    These research breakthroughs are constantly trumpeted from cancer cures, driverless this and that, space travel, robots and super computers and then we never hear anymore years later!…maybe each claim should come with a fact check and likely launch date if any.

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    Mute Clive Jackson
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    Apr 6th 2017, 10:05 AM

    Need for speed????
    I’m still on my 13 year old laptop, running winXP (win95 if I could). Google Chrome tells me to update. It’s as slow as a wet day but I get by.
    It does all I need it to do >> most times.
    It’s me that needs more speed not the PC

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 5th 2017, 9:27 PM

    Good for a new Nassau Street care might be ‘YottaBites”. Customers could find it magnetic. Molecular gastronomy. Sorry. This is the age of big data. Autonomous cars alone will likely 4000 GB a day. Timely invention and huge credit to the researchers and university.

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 5th 2017, 9:28 PM

    @John O’Driscoll: sorry meant good name for a cafe. tablet keyboard

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