Sony has a filed a patent for smart contact lenses that will allow you to record and play back video. The Japanese tech giants describe the idea as “a contact lens and storage medium capable of controlling an image pickup unit provided in the contact lens.”
The patent makes reference to the use of wireless technology that is able to connect with a smartphone. Users will also be able to flick through different commands with the blink of an eye, such as the command to take photos. It will be able to differentiate between conscious and unconscious blinking through differences in the duration of blinks. You might not be expecting much from the camera as far as quality is concerned, but Sony’s patent says it will be able to adjust zoom, focus, and aperture just like the technology in a current smartphone’s camera.
Perhaps the most exciting and ambitious promise of the lens is the ability to record and play back videos. Since the lens features internal storage and its own display screen, you will effectively be able to re-see moments of your life, simply by closing your eyes.
The patent application has yet to be reviewed, so it’s worth considering that this contraption is by no means a sure thing, especially since it is not established how much of the technology currently exists. Nevertheless, there’s been a fair few recent hints that contact lens technology is fast becoming part of the arms race between tech companies. It was revealed last month that Samsung filed a patent for smart contact lenses, and Google also has a similar patent up their sleeve.
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