Smart Contact Lens

[Anchor Lead]

A smart contact lens sensor capable of diagnosing diabetes and glaucoma has been developed. With excellent wearability, the transparent lens will likely be used for various purposes. Lets' take a closer look.

[Pkg]

Two men engage in a brawl. Their faces are remotely transmitted to a smartphone through contact lenses. A research team in Korea has developed a sensor to bring these cutting-edge contact lenses closer to reality. A sensor and an antenna in the lens measure blood sugar levels in teardrops, as well as intraocular pressure, and transmit the information in real time. Simply wearing the lenses makes it possible to diagnose diabetes and glaucoma. The key to the technology is a flexible sensor and a material for the antenna that can be installed in the lens. Previous attempts to measure blood sugar levels using contact lenses were unsuccessful, due to their poor wearability and the blocking of users' vision due to the sensor. However, the newly developed sensor is flexible and transparent, unlike earlier devices, boosting the possibility of their application in various fields.

[Soundbite] Park Jang-woong(Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology) : "Someday, the use of contact lenses will make augmented reality devices possible for various purposes, such as obtaining navigation information or sharing contact information."

The recent research achievements were published in the internationally renowned academic journal Nature Communications.