In the near future, people who wear glasses may no longer need to buy new lenses every time their eyesight changes. Researchers at the University of Utah have developed an adaptive pair of glasses that automatically adjusts to the wearer’s vision, focusing on whatever they are looking at. This new technology not only reduces the cost of new lenses, but also eliminates the need for constantly switching between reading glasses and expensive bifocals.
The adaptive glasses work by using three servo motors that control the curvature of the lenses. An infrared sensor in the bridge of the glasses measures the distance to the object that needs to be focused on and sends the data to the motors, which respond in just 14 milliseconds. The glasses are calibrated using Bluetooth, with the user inputting their diopter values and astigmatism into a smartphone app. The glasses are powered by a built-in battery that lasts for 24 hours.
The first prototype of the glasses is quite bulky due to the battery being housed in the frame, but the researchers are already working on a slimmer and more elegant version with additional eye-tracking capabilities. The glasses were showcased at CES 2017 and received a lot of positive feedback, prompting the researchers to invest more in their development. The glasses are expected to be available in two to three years and will cost between 465 and 930 euros.
Professor Carlos Mastrangelo, who came up with the idea for the glasses, was inspired by his own struggles with reading his navigation device while driving. He questioned why his vision was being treated with technology invented by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century. “I don’t live in the 18th century,” he said. With the adaptive glasses, people with changing eyesight can look forward to a more convenient and cost-effective solution.
