Tech
New Vision-Correcting Screen Display Makes Reading Glasses a Thing of the Past (VIDEO)
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Jul 30, 2014 08:05 AM EDT
Glasses are so last year. Scientists are working on a way to create vision-correcting displays that can compensate for a viewer's visual impairment without the need for them to wear glasses or contact lenses. The new screen could potentially help those who need lenses to use their smartphones, tablets and computers.
The technology isn't quite there yet, but it's definitely moving forward by leaps and strides. The researchers are currently developing computer algorithms in order to compensate for a person's visual impairment. In fact, the new screens could help those with more complex visual problems, known as high order aberrations, which can't be corrected with eyeglasses.
"We now live in a world where displays are ubiquitous, and being able to interact with displays is taken for granted," said Brian Barsky, one of the researchers, in a news release. "People with higher order aberrations often have irregularities in the shape of the cornea, and this irregular shape makes it very difficult to have a contact lens that will fit. In some cases, this can be a barrier to holding certain jobs because many workers need to look at a screen as part of their work. This research could transform their lives, and I am passionate about that potential."
The new vision-correcting display involves a printed pinhole screen sandwiched between two layers of clear plastic. This is added to an iPod display to enhance image sharpness. The pinholes are a mere 75 micrometers each and spaced just 390 micrometers apart.
The real triumph, though, is the algorithm. It works by adjusting the intensity of each direction of light that emanates from a single pixel in an image based upon a user's specific visual impairment. In a process called deconvolution, the light passes through the pinhole array so that the user will perceive a sharp image.
The researchers hope that the prototype can be developed into a thin screen protector. In addition, continued improvements in eye-tracking technology may make it easier for the displays to adapt to the position of the user's head position.
"In the future, we also hope to extend this application to multi-way correction on a shared display, so users with different visual problems can view the same screen and see a sharp image," said Fu-Chung Huang, one of the researchers.
Want to learn more? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.
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First Posted: Jul 30, 2014 08:05 AM EDT
Glasses are so last year. Scientists are working on a way to create vision-correcting displays that can compensate for a viewer's visual impairment without the need for them to wear glasses or contact lenses. The new screen could potentially help those who need lenses to use their smartphones, tablets and computers.
The technology isn't quite there yet, but it's definitely moving forward by leaps and strides. The researchers are currently developing computer algorithms in order to compensate for a person's visual impairment. In fact, the new screens could help those with more complex visual problems, known as high order aberrations, which can't be corrected with eyeglasses.
"We now live in a world where displays are ubiquitous, and being able to interact with displays is taken for granted," said Brian Barsky, one of the researchers, in a news release. "People with higher order aberrations often have irregularities in the shape of the cornea, and this irregular shape makes it very difficult to have a contact lens that will fit. In some cases, this can be a barrier to holding certain jobs because many workers need to look at a screen as part of their work. This research could transform their lives, and I am passionate about that potential."
The new vision-correcting display involves a printed pinhole screen sandwiched between two layers of clear plastic. This is added to an iPod display to enhance image sharpness. The pinholes are a mere 75 micrometers each and spaced just 390 micrometers apart.
The real triumph, though, is the algorithm. It works by adjusting the intensity of each direction of light that emanates from a single pixel in an image based upon a user's specific visual impairment. In a process called deconvolution, the light passes through the pinhole array so that the user will perceive a sharp image.
The researchers hope that the prototype can be developed into a thin screen protector. In addition, continued improvements in eye-tracking technology may make it easier for the displays to adapt to the position of the user's head position.
"In the future, we also hope to extend this application to multi-way correction on a shared display, so users with different visual problems can view the same screen and see a sharp image," said Fu-Chung Huang, one of the researchers.
Want to learn more? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone