Forget 3D Glasses, Here Come 3D Contact Lenses

If you thought you had comfort issues with 3D glasses, and they do give many people headaches, imagine the problems that could be caused by 3D fashion contact lenses. And yet that’s just what a group of researchers at the University of Washington has developed.

The contact lenses in question would have partially transparent LEDs; the scientists have already cracked the problem of making red and blue pixels and when they master green pixels, you’ll be one step closer to watch Avatar in 3D with your eyes closed. That’s something else to consider: once the technology comes to fruition there will be no blocking out unpleasant imagery once you’ve popped the lenses in. Closing your eyes won’t change what you see, only removing the lenses will.

The plan is for the display to turn on and off so you’re not walking around with a colorful mess obstructing your field of vision all of the time. Scientists plan to power these lenses via a belt mounted battery pack that will wirelessl transmit electricity to a resonating antenna in the lens.

Similar technology is being considered for other applications, such as augmented reality contact lenses. With a pair of these babies hugging your retinas, it would be like having an iPhone in your eye, with data on nearby stores, parks, and venues popping up just in front of your pupils. Once this finally hits stores, it’s bound to have an even more profound impact on human interaction than Lady Gaga’s camera glasses.

Consumer Electronics Show Highlights Glasses-free 3D

As is often the way with technology, it’s a grueling marathon in which gadgets at the cutting edge are continually being brushed into obsolescence. Just a couple of months ago, we covered a spate of companies make 3D fashion sunglasses and now the tech world is ready to take 3D glasses-free. Or are they?

A handful of companies at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show have been showcasing glasses-free 3D televisions and devices in hopes of overcoming consumer objections to the technology that made such a splash with Avatar, but garnered a bitter backlash as Hollywood execs attempted to force the feature on as many moviegoers as possible.

Electronics giants such as Sharp, LG, and Toshiba were hopeful of wooing consumers at this year’s CES in Las Vegas but some reviewers were highly underwhelmed. The website Consumerist was particularly critical of LG’s glasses free offering saying, “the company also had to put a white line in the carpet to show onlookers where to stand. And even then you must stand dead-center to get a semi-decent 3D effect.”

Many companies passed on bringing their 3D offerings to Sin City saying that while the technology might one day be found in a majority of living rooms, it’s still in too nascent a stage to be waggled in front of the gizmo-buying public.

Below is a video of Sony’s glasses-free 3D television. Admittedly much of the effect is lost on YouTube, but technophiles who can’t make it to Vegas can still dream, can’t they?

Fashion Comes to 3D Glasses

The hype surrounding 3D movie glasses has Hollywood studios tripping over themselves to provide moviegoers with car chases and explosions in an extra dimension, but the fashion element of those glasses has been overlooked until now. 3D glasses given out in theaters are typically bulky cardboard or cheap plastic and often give people headaches. But recently, a number of major eyeglasses brands have announced their own 3D fashion sunglasses for those who want a more stylish 3D experience.

Here are the brands that are offering customers trendy 3D glasses:

Oakley 3D Glasses: Oakley is rolling out their 3D glasses in partnership with Disney’s upcoming movie, Tron: Legacy. Though the movie does not come out until mid-December, these glasses are available in November for a $150 price tag. The glasses are compatible with any 3D movie screen and the company claims they are clearer and more comfortable than your standard 3D glasses.

Calvin Klein 3D Glasses: Calvin Klein partnered with Marchon3D, a company with the ability to make curved 3D lenses. The glasses are photochromic, so you can wear them inside or outside. They are due out next month in three styles for men and three for women, and they will cost $180.

Gucci 3D Glasses: The Gucci’s 3D glasses cost $225 and come in an aviator style, rather than the popular wraparound look. According to the tech blog, Gizmodo, this will mark you as “the most fashion-forward person in a dark room full of people who can’t see anything.”

Armani Exchange 3D Glasses: Armani’s 3D specs will come in a navigator style and some bonus features, such as a coating to reduce glare, and another coating that is supposed to reduce glare from looking in a mirror and improve contrast. Since these glasses are for movie theater use only, they are priced at the relatively low $58, and they are also due out in December.