LCD glasses might replace bifocals
By Marc Perton 
posted Apr 4th 2006 4:06PM
posted Apr 4th 2006 4:06PM
Given the amount of time we spend in front of
various screens over the course of the day (and night), it's not surprising that we're a little worried about our
vision. But we're also vain enough that the idea of wearing ultra-thick coke-bottle glasses, or even dual-core
bifocals, has us a little worried. So, we're ready to volunteer to test the LCD glasses being developed by researchers
at the University of Arizona. The specs use electrodes that can alter the configuration of the LCDs, automatically
refocusing based on what the wearer is looking at. There are, however, a couple of downsides. Other researchers scoff
that the lenses would end up being too heavy and thick (and the prototype pictured here does look kind of goofy). The
other downside: if the batteries give out, you're left with plain glass. We wouldn't want to be caught in that position
while we're, say, in the middle of passing a tractor-trailer on a rain-slicked highway in the middle of the night. Maybe
we'll stick with the coke-bottle lenses for a while, and wait for the white-suits to get the bugs out of this one first.
id get these if the lcds are 1080i and can hook up to my ps3 with bluetooth
You mispelled bifocals.
haha bifoacls. thats a funny word.
Not if they look like that.
can they shoot lasers?
Looking at a computer screen will not damage your vision.
The bifocals are cheaper, the bifocals are ligheter, and the bifocals won't malfunction as it is not electric...why on earth would anyone use these...
As someone in their 40's (46) who's been wearing bifocal glasses for the last 2 years, it would be nice at some point to have this as an option. Most of the time I need far away lenses, but as a repair technician, when I'm working on something, I need the "up close" lens. I'm always lifting my head up or down to get the close up part of the lens where I need it. To push a button and have the entire lens set as a close up lens would be really nice!
LOL, but I'll wait until they have it perfected a couple of years...I don't want a lcd lens and battery pack hanging off my glasses. I look geeky enough with a bluetooth headset ;)
Incredible, people are crazy.
It has actually been scientifically proven that TV and computer screens do not do extra harm to your vision in any way.
A way they could solve the problem of the battery dying and being left with only plain glass could be solved if they didn't use plain glass on the front of them. Seems kinda obvious, donchathink?
And it *would* be kinda cool to be able to play video games on these glasses. :P
Rusy's dead right. I'm a bit older, and I've moved on to trifocals - one lens for distance, one for reading, one for soldering PCB's. My head nods like a demented parrot. Roll on the time when these gadgets are usable!
This Pseudo-Hugescreen Video Headset can ease eyestrain for PC use and is great for watching portable DVD player or MP4 -
http://www.chinavasion.com/product_info.php/pName/video-headset-30-inches-2m-away-full-colour-av-interface/
#8,
You're exactly right. Anyone reading Harry Potter would get a massive headache. Nobody could argue that!
#12, Yeah, if you're stupid enough to run at a crappy refresh rate. 85 Hz minimum here (100-120 Hz is nicer though, and beyond that point I can't tell anymore), and I sit in front of CRTs about 14-15 hours a day some weeks (gotta love work : ), and they're completely comfortable for me.
LCDs on the other hand, are way way way way too bright. Sure, you can lower the brightness to 0 to make them a bit more tolerable, but then you won't have even close to semi-accurate colours.
Here's one (who has had glasses since he was 4 years old btw) who prefers the ergonomics of CRTs over annoyingly sharp and painfully bright LCDs.
And SmearType makes my eyes water.
#9
you'll strain your eyes reading a ebook on a monitor and it will likely give you headaches BUT it will not damage your vision. It's just uncomfortable.