Augmented reality for the masses has been promised before, but it’s nearer now than ever. And it is going to be huge.
Mojo Vision is not your average optical company. The Saratoga, Calif., firm makes a contact lens with circuitry and a tiny heads-up display capable of beaming images directly into the wearer’s eye.
Iris recognition concept. Smart wearable eye-compatible computer”n
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The actual lenses are not ready for the public. Contacts are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Lenses made from new materials need thorough testing. Even once approved by the FDA, it takes time for any new product to reach consumers, let alone one made with copper wires, radios and a screen the size of a grain of sand.
The quick-to-market strategy, according to a story at Techcrunch, is to focus on medical applications in the beginning. Mojo is working with the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The first lenses will use real-time contrast and lighting enhancement to help with night vision and severe sight limitations. So far, this strategy seems to be working. The FDA has granted Mojo a Breakthrough Device designation, a fast-track to review priority.
In the future, Mojo hopes a feature called invisible computing will boost the site of even average wearers. In short, it will give them superpowers.
A firefighter might get access to a building’s schematics while monitoring temperature information. A recreational cyclist might have access to her heart rate, the road elevation and even the number of calories she’s burning as she climbs the slope
