A Display in Your Glasses

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,667638,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,667638,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div>"Head-mounted displays, which project miragelike computing screens, have yet to be runaway hits. That's partly because they make you look like a telemarketer wearing a helmet about as inconspicuous as a pair of fake antlers. Massachusetts-based MicroOptical Corp. is taking a new approach, fitting projectable-display technology into standard eyeglass frames...A tiny LCD in one temple generates high-resolution, 24-bit text, graphics, and video, viewed through optics hidden in the lenses. The display is projected in front of users, right in the middle of their surroundings, as if they were watching television."<br /><br />Cool! HUD displays without the major geek factor! This makes me wonder though - how many of us wear glasses? Or even if you didn't need glasses, would you wear a device like this for the functionality and use plain glass or plastic for the lenses?

[szamot]

Why does it not surprise me that majority of people here wear glasses. I have had my spectacles since I was 2 right there and then I knew I was destined to become a Turbo Geek, what are your excuses?

[bdegroodt]

Does it come in the "Featherweight" line up? Or will they be slipping down my nose all day? :lol:

[Rirath]

Despite spending the vast majority of my life starring at the computer screen, my eyes are A-ok. Surprises me, but I'm kinda glad.

Oh, and I crack up each and every time I see the "haircut" option. :lol:

[JonnoB]

I am waiting until they can embed this technology into our eyeballs. :P

[ECOslin]

I want the eyeball option, I can just imagine loading my glasses up more and more with technology, greater increasing the gravity quotient that my glasses already have. When given a chance my glasses will try a lens down landing approach, when I put them on a surface indifferently(the chance increases the more scratch potential the surface has).

At some point I'll get the radial laser surgery to get my eyes corrected, I just haven't worked up the nerve for it. I'd like the bluetooth(or later) retina display option when I do.

Edward

[Seraph1024]

I wanted one for a while now. I do not wear glasses either and I have a better vision than normal people :) Kind of sad really since I use my computer in the dark, watch TV the same way etc.

But if this technology is only cheaper with good resolution, I'd go buy it the next day.

Lwin

[Venturello]

My question is... is this image 1 inch (or less) in front of your eyeball really comfortable to see? Would you stay with it 1 hour on the train browing, doing work or seeing a movie?

[kaiden.1]

Ok!, Nifty little gadget but not for the mail stream of reality. I think that most people would get something like that for a fun little toy to be cool; and after all it is really kind of cool, but lets look at the reality of it? Our peripheral vision in and areound the work place to too important to have something on your face in any way shape or form that would take away that crucial part of your senses. Come on; that could really distract one from giving the full attention that they need to in order to accomplish things right. I look at the few versions that are around these days with the computer gaming industry and picture putting one of those things on and trying to do what you normally do...... ain't goin to work! Let be practical here. Now as far as fun goes on your own time, heck yea; any time! But that would put it in the geek luxury catagory, and there aren't enough of those kind of buyers around to justify the marketing and developing for such athing to be put together. Still a cool gadget :wink:

[Ed Hansberry]

My question is... is this image 1 inch (or less) in front of your eyeball really comfortable to see? Would you stay with it 1 hour on the train browing, doing work or seeing a movie?
www.microvision.com has something similar - but the image is beamed into your pupil with ultra-low intensity lasers that makes your eyeball think you are looking at a 17" monitor.
:lol: Check out their video - http://www.microvision.com/santa/

[Rirath]

:lol: That santa video is incredibly pointless... I love it.

[CTSLICK]

People can't even talk on the cell phone while driving a car...can you imagine folks trying to read email while driving!!! 8O

That being said I think this technology could have some interesting industry specific or job specific applications. In the airlines we are trying to find better ways to get online info to the mechanic at the aircraft without making him/her carry a laptop or handheld device. Wearable technology in conjunction with wireless technology is very appealing for someone who needs both hands free to work. It would be great to be able to read work online work instructions...heck... even watch a video on how to properly install a part...all while working at the aircraft with tools in your greasy hands. Need to check part availability but your a mile across the ramp, just look into the glasses. Experience is showing that the work environment around the aircraft is just too harsh for handhelds or laptops (yes...even ruggedized ones). However, most guys (and gals) are starting to wear safety goggles in more situations. So the trend is there, just build it into the safety goggles.

I'll bet there are many other industries thinking the same thing.

[dochall]

So we're all wear glasses, are male, have a good income.

All we need now is the number of goatees we have and the amount overweight we are. We could then conclusively prove that this is geek central.

:P

[Kevin Daly]

I'd wear it if the glass was tinted.
Apart from the fact that it makes more sense for a person with good eyesight (and with being a programmer since the 80's I have no idea how that happened) to wear shades than normal glasses (and it lets us pretend to be cool), has anyone given any thought to how we'd look with our eyes visibly focused on a non-existent screen rather than our surroundings?
I swear nobody wearing those things with clear glass would ever have sex again, at least not on purpose.

[Sven Johannsen]

At some point I'll get the radial laser surgery to get my eyes corrected, I just haven't worked up the nerve for it.

Before March I would have had to answer, wear glasses. Now, I'm in the no glasses group. My vision isn't perfect at this point but I started with the Big E (20/800) being a total blur without glasses. I haven't had glasses on for 6 months for anything (other than safety glasses :)) My wife has had it done as well and she is 20/20 distance, but is into reading glasses for close up. That is not unusual for us older folks.

The procedure is totally painless. There was a clock on the wall in front of the procedure chair when I had it done. I couldn't even recognize the clock before laying down. When sitting up afterwards I could read the time.

Do it.

For an on topic comment: since the feature will be buit into the frames, I expect the choices will be somewhat limited. Probably standard thick geek frames in any color as long as it is black. Those things we called Birth Control Glasses in the military. (They were issued)

[Kevin C. Tofel]

Let's think outside the box for a minute and pick a non-traditional area of information. I'll use Sports for an example.

As a runner, I am constantly relying on information: mile splits, distance travelled, etc.....there are watches and microchip transmitters to do that now. Let's take it a step further. I'm in a marathon (and yes, I wear glasses) and I want to see the pace of the leader. This info is available today on the pace car, but only the spectators and lead pack can see it. Those on the web are also able to see this info. Now, if I'm mid-pack in a race with thousands of folks, I could see that info too. I could also see my last splits, estimated time to finish, etc.....

Silly example, but adds a different twist on this type of info and how I could "see" it in my glasses. Apply it to golf: you're in a tournament and you're wondering if you're still 2 strokes ahead of the guy 3 holes in front....you want the wind direction and speed near the pin that you're hitting to.....you want the exact distance to the pin.....again, all of this info is available today, the embedded glasses give you part of the mechanism to see it....

There's still the issues of a wireless infrastructure for all of these possibilities, but in and of themselves, the glasses have potential!

[daveburrows]

Dunno about the rest of you, but I have several pairs of the Olympus Eye-Trek glasses http://www.eye-trek.com for watching TV/Movies/DVD's and they're superb. Especially the hi-res model (700). 2x2.5inch LCD's turn out to be a 52" TV screen at 1.5meters.

I think a HUD for the PC or Pocket PC would be a great idea. The Eye-Trek's are bad at displaying PC text (you do have PC output to the glasses). If you're only looking for around 240x320 res, then I can't see a problem, but if you're trying to achieve something higher than 800x600 this is where you'll start seeing problems with text (pardon the pun!). 8)

[CTSLICK]

Let's think outside the box for a minute and pick a non-traditional area of information. I'll use Sports for an example.

OK...how about football (US Style)...instant replay piped right to the ref's glasses . And not just for specific plays, any play he want to see again. No more peering into the box for 2 minutes.

[Fugates]

So we're all wear glasses, are male, have a good income.
:P

Well, I hate to throw the proverbial wrench into things, but there are some females out here in Pocket PC land :wink:

I am supposed to wear glasses, but they are very uncomfortable and I am unable to wear contact lenses.

Someday I will invest in R.K. when I am finally fed up with not seeing correctly. LOL :D

[Kathy_Harris]

Hmmm, yeah. I can just imagine all the kids in schools and colleges using these things to cheat on tests.... :)

[Rirath]

All we need now is the number of goatees we have and the amount overweight we are. We could then conclusively prove that this is geek central

Erm... I only have one goatee. 8O Wow, I don't think I want to know how you do two or three.

[st63z]

LASIK... it'd come down to between Mann-Berkley eye center or TLC - Houston laser eye center (which happen to be only a couple of blocks apart, weird).

Both are excellent I think. In the end Dr. Slade's reputation sold me, so I went w/ TLC (even though he used to work at Mann-Berkley before, even weirder!).

Definitely not the cheapest, but you don't want to take chances :) As it is they couldn't bring me up to 20/20 (especially my left eye) :(

[the_rapture]

It's like anything, once you use it you'll get use to it. The Military could really use something like this for tracking etc. We'll find out if we can multi-task in a true sense.

Ok!, Nifty little gadget but not for the mail stream of reality. I think that most people would get something like that for a fun little toy to be cool; and after all it is really kind of cool, but lets look at the reality of it? Our peripheral vision in and areound the work place to too important to have something on your face in any way shape or form that would take away that crucial part of your senses. Come on; that could really distract one from giving the full attention that they need to in order to accomplish things right. I look at the few versions that are around these days with the computer gaming industry and picture putting one of those things on and trying to do what you normally do...... ain't goin to work! Let be practical here. Now as far as fun goes on your own time, heck yea; any time! But that would put it in the geek luxury catagory, and there aren't enough of those kind of buyers around to justify the marketing and developing for such athing to be put together. Still a cool gadget :wink:

[ECOslin]

I kinda get the picture of someone gathering a group of people for a VR test then removing the guardrails. Same as cell-phones and driving. Attention distraction disorder. I'd rather see a VR station(like a phonebox, or workstation) than a device perched on my head.

VR Quake(First person shooter game) run around, run around and trip over a real world ottoman.

Edward

[Roosterman]

I am with ECOslin, great idea in a controled environment. Too big a distraction for people walking, driving, running down the street. I can just see all the lawsuits now when two people collide and ruin each others latest toy.