Lenses have 3x zooming in and out capabilities according to researchers.
In a breakthrough development, researchers from the University of California, San Diego have created a contact lens that can zoom in and out by blinking. The lens is made of soft materials that respond to electrical signals generated by eye movements. By blinking twice, the wearer can activate a switch that changes the focal length of the lens, allowing them to zoom in or out by up to three times.
The contact lens is designed to mimic the natural ability of the human eye to adjust its focus. The lens consists of four layers: an inner layer that contacts the eye, a middle layer that contains electrodes, a ring-shaped layer that acts as a lens, and an outer layer that protects the lens. The ring-shaped layer is made of electroactive polymer, a material that changes its shape when an electric current is applied. By changing the shape of the ring, the lens can alter its optical power and zoom in or out.
The researchers tested the contact lens on a human eye model and found that it could successfully switch between normal and magnified vision. They also demonstrated that the lens could be controlled by eye movements such as blinking and looking up or down. The researchers hope that their contact lenses could have applications in fields such as augmented reality, military operations, and biomedical engineering.
The contact lens is still in its early stages of development and has some limitations. For example, the lens requires an external power source to operate and can only zoom in one eye at a time. The researchers are working on improving the design and functionality of the lens and plan to conduct clinical trials in the future. They also envision creating a contact lens that can adjust its colour and polarization as well as its focus.