Google眼鏡之后是什么？來自根特大學(xué)(Gent University)的博士研究生Jelle De Smet 說：整合了顯示器的隱形眼鏡！
De Smet是在四年前仍在研修顯示器技術(shù)時，就有以上的靈感；而且他自己也有戴隱形眼鏡。他告訴博士班指導(dǎo)教授想寫這個題目的論文，教授說：“這很有趣，但非常有挑戰(zhàn)性，在過程中需要分解成很多個步驟?！盌e Smet目前在歐洲研究機(jī)構(gòu)IMEC主持相同研究題目的項目。
他預(yù)期該技術(shù)的第一步驟能在兩年內(nèi)完成──也就是一種主動性人工虹膜(active artificial iris)；現(xiàn)在，若有人的虹膜損傷或是變形，可利用一種被動植入裝置來阻擋多余的光線，但該種裝置不會像真正的虹膜那樣在陽光下擴(kuò)張、在黑暗的室內(nèi)收縮。
De Smet表示：“以被動裝置替代受損的主動生物器官并不夠好?！彼脑O(shè)計采用僅9個像素以及多灰階設(shè)定，以根據(jù)光線的變化擴(kuò)張或收縮；相同的技術(shù)也可以讓隱形眼鏡在不同光線下變身太陽眼鏡。
隱形眼鏡顯示器組成架構(gòu)本
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如果一切進(jìn)展順利，下一步將被開發(fā)出來的會是一種主動性多焦點鏡片，能根據(jù)使用者正在閱讀或是開車來切換焦點；目前隱形眼鏡制造商的多焦點鏡片產(chǎn)品也都是被動性的，并沒有主動性的產(chǎn)品。
據(jù)了解，IMEC已經(jīng)與一家隱形眼鏡制造大廠提出針對以上技術(shù)的合作案，但尚未獲得響應(yīng)。De Smet表示，該隱形眼鏡廠商對生物兼容、安全的光學(xué)材料有很深的了解：“但他們對電子設(shè)計技術(shù)應(yīng)該是一無所知?！?
“我們需要與他們溝通，分享彼此不同技術(shù)專長的價值所在，”De Smet指出：“我們能一起制作出非常新穎的產(chǎn)品，但目前的廠商態(tài)度大多很保守。”
隱形眼鏡顯示器目標(biāo)市場，按年齡分布
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本文下一頁：可造福全球數(shù)十億的老花眼人口
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配備人工虹膜、可隨光線自動調(diào)節(jié)的太陽隱形眼鏡概念產(chǎn)品具備龐大市場商機(jī)潛力，至于多焦點隱形眼鏡則可造福全球數(shù)十億的老花眼人口──銀發(fā)族因為老化現(xiàn)象，通常需要攜帶兩種不同眼鏡才能看遠(yuǎn)或是看近。
隱形眼鏡顯示器的第一步──主動性人工虹膜
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本文下一頁：仍需克服許多挑戰(zhàn)
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不過De Smet也坦承，要實現(xiàn)隱形眼鏡顯示器這個概念仍需克服許多挑戰(zhàn)，它需要新材料、可伸縮的互連導(dǎo)線，也許還需要一種能量采集技術(shù)或是微型電池。這些只靠一個人當(dāng)然無法完成，他在IMEC的同僚已經(jīng)在開發(fā)包括可伸縮電子組件等的相關(guān)技術(shù)。
“我的目標(biāo)是看看有什么東西在那里，并它們組合起來──我的任務(wù)是扮演整合者；”在此同時，De Smet還得努力完成他的博士論文。
De Smet正在演講
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本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
編譯：Judith Cheng
參考英文原文：Researcher Eyes Display on Contact Lens，by Rick Merritt
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Researcher Eyes Display on Contact Lens
Rick Merritt
LEUVEN, Belgium — What comes after Google Glass? A contact lens with an integrated display, says Jelle De Smet, a doctoral student at Gent University.
The idea hit De Smet about four years ago while he was studying engineering with a focus on display technology. Yes, he wears contact lenses.
He told his doctoral advisor he wanted to write his thesis on the concept. "He said it was interesting, but extremely challenging, and I needed to break it down into steps along the way," said De Smet, who now leads a new research project on the topic at the IMEC research institute.
De Smet believes in two years he could have the technology ready for a first step -- an active artificial iris. Today, a person who has a damaged or deformed iris can get a passive implant to block out excess light, but it doesn't expand in sunlight or contract in a dark room.
"A passive replacement for a defective active biological part is not good enough," said De Smet.
His design uses just nine pixels with multiple grey scale settings to expand and contract in response to changing light conditions. The same technology could be used for contacts that act as sunglasses varying with light conditions.
If all goes well, the next step would be an active, multifocal lens that users can switch depending on whether they are reading or driving. Again, contact lens makers have passive versions of multifocal lenses but not active ones.
IMEC sent a letter to one large contact lens maker a month ago about its new research program. So far it has not received a response.
The big contact lens makers have a deep understanding of optics, biocompatible materials, and safety. "But they don't know anything about electronics design," said De Smet.
"We need to communicate to them the value of sharing our different competencies," he said. "We could do very new kinds of products together, but the existing players are quite conservative," he added.
There's a large potential market with concepts like auto-adjusting sunglass-lenses enabled by the artificial iris. The multifocal lens could serve a billion people with presbyopia, a stiffening of parts of the eye that is a natural consequence of aging and the reason older people often need both distance and reading glasses.
De Smet is quick to admit the challenges are many in realizing his vision of the contact lens display. It requires new materials, stretchable interconnects, perhaps some form of energy harvesting or a micro battery.
He doesn't expect to do it all himself. His new colleagues at IMEC are working on many related developments including stretchable electronics.
"My goal is to see what's out there and combine things -- my job is to be the integrator," he said.
Meanwhile, he also has a PhD thesis to finish.
Excerpts from a presentation De Smet made to press at an annual IMEC meeting are on the following pages.
Inside the display lens
De Smet aims to source components he needs for a contact lens display.
Starting with a simpler active iris
An artificial iris, a first step, requires fewer active components.
Big, aging market
Active multifocal lenses could serve an aging population that turns to glasses.
Making his case
De Smet shared his vision at an IMEC press briefing.
責(zé)編：Quentin
