Scientists unveil a brand new smart contact lens that tracks health and detects disease
Smart contact lenses are seen as the next must have gadgets, and now more and more of them are starting to appear.
Key takeaways
- Researchers at the Seoul University in South Korea created the soft contact lens to monitor fluid in the eyes for biomarkers that indicate the presence or severity of a particular disease.
- The lenses can also be charged wirelessly thanks to a technique called ‘Direct Ink Writing’ that let the team build tiny supercapacitors directly in the lens that can store electrical energy.
- Park also said that there were no noticeable adverse effects and that the lens did not obstruct the wearer’s vision as the team tested all of its functions.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'Scientists unveil a brand new smart contact lens that tracks health and detects disease', 311 Institute, 9 March. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/scientists-unveil-a-brand-new-smart-contact-lens-that-tracks-health-and-detects-disease/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
All of a sudden the number of smart contact lenses that are emerging is on a tear, with new lenses that can zoom in on objects to turn you into a super spy, and new augmented reality contact lenses that do away with the need for those dorky AR glasses, and now scientists have created a smart contact lens that could help track the wearer’s health and monitor diseases such as diabetes and glaucoma.
Researchers at the Seoul University in South Korea created the soft contact lens to monitor fluid in the eyes for biomarkers that indicate the presence or severity of a particular disease.
The lenses can also be charged wirelessly thanks to a technique called ‘Direct Ink Writing’ that let the team build tiny supercapacitors directly in the lens that can store electrical energy. The lens can then be charged using a conventional antenna system or wireless charging system meaning it can operate without needing to be charged externally using something like a conventional battery which, frankly, would kill the concept.
The researchers, lead by Jihun Park, said that the lens “performed reliably” in a live test with both rabbits and a human “test pilot” who wore the lens for 10 minutes. Park also said that there were no noticeable adverse effects and that the lens did not obstruct the wearer’s vision as the team tested all of its functions.
The research could be yet another breakthrough in smart contact lens technology, which has been studied extensively for medical applications and augmented reality, and recently elsewhere South Korean technology giant Samsung recently patented a contact lens that could take pictures and video simply by blinking.
But according to the new research, smart contact lenses have thus far been limited by “the large size, rigidity, and heat produced by conventional batteries,” which made them uncomfortable to wear and which had the adverse side effect of cooking the test subject’s eyeballs – something that is a major no no. But, as new manufacturing techniques and technologies emerge it’s only a matter of when not if smart contact lenses will become a commercial reality.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Smart contact lenses are seen as the next must have gadgets, and now more and more of them are starting to appear.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
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Sources and further reading
- Seoul University en.snu.ac.kr
- patented a contact lens telegraph.co.uk
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 9 March 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). Scientists unveil a brand new smart contact lens that tracks health and detects disease. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/scientists-unveil-a-brand-new-smart-contact-lens-that-tracks-health-and-detects-disease/
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