How realistic is the concept of VR contact lenses?
MIXED reader Nahajasaki wanted to know if VR contact lenses could one day replace VR headsets and AR glasses.
Every Monday on MIXED, we answer a question from our readers. Post your question in the comments or send it to hello@mixed-news.com with "reader questions" in the subject line and with a bit of luck we'll answer it the following Monday.
How realistic is the concept of VR contact lenses, and could they one day replace headsets and headsets?
"Hello Nahajasaki
The idea of a VR or even AR contact lens sounds appealing at first. Headsets are heavy and bulky, and not everyone wants to wear glasses, regardless of the features they offer. A contact lens, on the other hand, would make the technology practically disappear. So much for the theory.
In practice, there are even bigger technical hurdles to overcome than with VR headsets and AR glasses. The technology needs to be even more miniaturized and somehow powered inside the eye. And even without these problems, the contact lenses would still need to be approved by medical authorities like the FDA, which would likely take years.
The big tech companies are certainly doing R&D in this direction, but we should not expect to see prototypes or products any time soon.
The most serious attempt to develop a smart contact lens was made by a startup called Mojo Vision. It had been working on the technology for many years, had raised more than $200 million in investment capital, and was already testing a prototype with users. The first product was to be launched before the end of the decade.
However, in 2023, Mojo Vision put the project on hold and is now focused on the development of MicroLED displays. The reason given for the change in strategy was a lack of investment. I can only speculate here, but I suspect that the contact lens would have taken many more years to develop and that investors no longer believed in a timely product launch.
The idea lives on in the startup Xpanceo which has been working on a smart contact lens since 2021 and is currently looking for investors. But I'm afraid the technology is still a long way off and will remain science fiction longer than real AR glasses, which itself will take many more years to fully develop.
Kind regards,
Tomislav
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