Contact lenses of the future?

Google labs (aka Google X), a team known for working on some off-the-wall projects, recently announced it is working on a prototype for a contact lens.

Contact lenses of the future

What does this “futuristic” team at Google have in mind for the contact lens wearer? They are making a blood glucose-sensing contact lens for diabetics. This contact lens uses the latest technology developed by Google, “using a tiny wireless chip and miniaturized glucose sensor that are embedded between two layers of soft contact lens material”, said project co-founders Brian Otis and Babak Parvis.

The contact lens is designed to generate blood glucose readings every few seconds and then warn the wearer when glucose levels are higher or lower than recommended levels. Otis and Parviz stated, “We’ve always said that we’d seek out projects that seem a bit speculative or strange… At a time when the international Diabetes Federation is declaring that the world is ‘losing the battle’ against diabetes, we thought this project was worth a shot.”

Google wants your help

Google stated the reason this has gone public is in order to bring awareness to the project. Why? because it is looking for experts in the technology and medical fields. It believes these experts will help bring this technological advancement to market in the near future.

Image: Google