Auto-Focus Glasses?
Ric Jensen touches the frame on his new glasses to call up their reading power. Batteries in the frame send a current that changes the orientation of molecules in the liquid crystals of the lenses. When he touches the side of the frame again, the reading power disappears. He also can adjust the glasses to see at a long distance or at an intermediate level.
EmPower glasses. They look like a typical pair of glasses, but they automatically adjust to the wearer’s needs with the touch of a finger. Manufactured by PixelOptics of Roanoke, Va., the glasses are said to be the “next generation” after blended trifocals. These glasses provide a wider field of view, less distortion and avoid common side effects that may come with progressive trifocals and bifocals, the company says
How they work
The glasses provide vision correction that is instantly activated by a layer of liquid crystals embedded in each lens, according to the manufacturer. The correction force is powered by a battery, and wearers control the level of correction with their fingertips. They touch the frame of the glasses by their temple to turn the electronics on or off, and a swipe of the fingers activates the automatic correction mode.
Could this be the future of optical glasses, or just another fad that will soon be replaced? Only time will tell…
