There's a pair of lenses that can zoom in to images up to 3 times their size by merely winking your eye.
No, we're not talking fiction here, and these are not bionic eyes. Researchers from Switzerland have developed a way to attach very small telescopes into these lenses so the wearer can have more control over their vision, especially the size of the objects and people they are seeing.
This project is currently being developed by Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne with Eric Tremblay at the helm. The original concept was first developed for drones by Defence Advance Research Projects Agency of the United States but has long been customized for human use.
The prototype was finished in 2013. The contact lenses are expected to offer hope and great use for more than 200 million people who are currently suffering from some form of vision impairment or loss, especially macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration is an optical condition wherein the inner surface of the eyes loses its ability to receive light. Thus, a person's central vision deteriorates, and activities such as reading become increasingly difficult. This problem often happens among older people.
The researchers are clear that this isn't the first set of contact lenses with telescopic abilities. However, those that are already existing in the market are very bulky, which may discourage the wearers from always having the lenses.
These new lenses will be only 1.55mm in thickness while the telescopes are merely embedded. They're also very easy to use as the telescope system, with mirrors that allow light to bounce around, may be adjusted by merely winking. When you want to zoom in, you use your right, zoom out, left. The glasses don't respond to blinking. The glasses will also remain responsive even if you move your eyes or head as they're capable of tracking such movements.
