While for many Google might have the best recall in eyewear with Glass, Samsung have patented an augmented reality contact lens.
Google Glass succeeded in capturing the world’s imagination until its untimely and quiet demise, but a new move from Korean giant Samsung has seen a patent filed for an augmented reality contact lens.
Presently, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets work by projecting images into one’s retina from a device worn on one’s face. An augmented reality contact lens would, if indications from the patent are true, would sit invisibly atop one’s eye and offer the same functionality Google Glass attempted to bring to the market just a few years ago.
Read: Rumours: Google Glass 2.0 imminent
Samsung’s parent depicts a smart contact lens which would be fitted with a camera image display, and would contain sensors that detect the user blinking; certain blinking patterns would activate as-yet unnamed features.
The patent indicates that the contact lens would require a smartphone for processing power in a similar manner to how the Apple Watch, upon launch, relied on an iPhone to store its app logic and user information.
Samsung’s patent application indicates that the plan was conceived as far back in September 2014, and has only now been published. With Samsung’s new foray into VR with the Gear VR headset, and the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge at the centre of the company’s new product ‘universe’, now seems a fitting time for the company to investigate developing such new technology.
There’s been no indication from Samsung as to whether the contact lens will ever see light of day, as Google, similarly, has biological patents that it hasn’t seen fit to use.
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Feature image for illustrative purposes only.
