Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Electronic Sunglasses Designer Needs Your Help!
Electronic sunglasses are what you need if you're tired of those old-fashioned sunglasses that darken the entire lens when all you need is just a small dark spot over the sun.
(Electronic glasses prototype by Chris Mullin)
Our revolutionary glasses will fight glare by dimming just the bright parts of the field of view. If you're driving into the sun, they dim the sun, without dimming everything else that you need to see. Because only the sun is darkened, it can be made a lot darker than any other technology (like polarizers or photogray glasses) because those other technologies darken the entire lens. We do it by putting a liquid crystal display in front of each eye and darkening just the spot between your pupil and the glare source. It acts like holding up your hand to block the sun, but with no effort on your part. If the sun moves, then the spot moves, and if the sun goes away, then the spot goes away. We have working prototypes that react faster than you can blink, and can run for a hundred hours on watch batteries.We’re figuring out how to make the LCDs on curved plastic substrates, so they can be built into cool, wraparound style shades. We’re making the electronics so tiny they’ll fit into sporty sunglasses models. We’re building in a wireless recharging capability that’s compatible with the new Qi wireless power standard. We need to squeeze everything into strong, lightweight sunglasses frames that are comfortable and fun to wear.
(Glare-reducing glasses demo videos)
Larry Niven wrote about similar sun goggles in his 1968 short story Grendel:
At that moment we went through the weather dome. CY Aquarii, which had been a soft white patch, became for an instant a tiny bright point of agony. Then a spot on each lens of my goggles turned black and covered the sun.
Designer Chris Mullin wants these electronic sunglasses to become a real consumer product, and that's why he is trying to raise $20,000 in seed money to go from prototypes to production. Visit his page on Electronic Sunglasses on Kickstarter to read his pitch and make a contribution. Also, take a look at videos that show the actual view through the electronic sunglasses - see glare-reducing glasses. Thanks to Winchell Chung for the tip and the reference on this story.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 12/4/2010)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 2 )
Related News Stories - (" Space Tech ")
'If Anyone Is Watching Earth...'
'Our study of your race has convinced us that you are not fitted to leave your planet in the present state of your civilization.' - Arthur C. Clarke, 1946.
Cloud Of Space Rubbish From China's Long March Rocket
'Within seconds the material was spread out over fifty yards, in a matter of hours it might occupy several cubic miles of space...'
ESA's Draco To Study Heat Of Reentry
'...a synthetic which air-friction would erode.' - EE Doc Smith, 1934.
The United States Space Academy Is Official
'Is our orbit to Space Academy clear?' - Carey Rockwell
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
'If Anyone Is Watching Earth...'
'Our study of your race has convinced us that you are not fitted to leave your planet in the present state of your civilization.'
Epirus High-Power Microwave Defeats Drones
'...the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and Then one toppled and fell. Then another.'
Cloud Of Space Rubbish From China's Long March Rocket
'Within seconds the material was spread out over fifty yards, in a matter of hours it might occupy several cubic miles of space...'
Biomimetic Tendons From Rochu Robotics
'... the curious parallelism to animal motions.'
Living Human Neuron Biological Compute Rack
'The men are dead, but their acquired wisdom lives on and I am the beneficiary.'
Martha Stewart Approves Ojai 'Living Room On Wheels'
'Young people found the driverless car admirable for petting.'
ESA's Draco To Study Heat Of Reentry
'...a synthetic which air-friction would erode.'
Buy A Galaxy? Maybe Start Smaller
'The sky is the limit' just got higher.
The United States Space Academy Is Official
'Is our orbit to Space Academy clear?'
Is There A Global Problem With Who Is Having Children?
'After twenty generations of shillyshallying...'
You Will Eat The Cookies Made From Plastic...
'Our planes are going to start bringing in bales of discarded plastics...'
It's A Giant Robot! You Reporters Have Been Warned!
'... completely forgetting the ship at sight of the awesome figure and great head of the giant Gaut...'
Birds Learn To Sing Pictures ala Frank Herbert's Distrans
'We will fight in the time of fighting.'
ElectionSim: China's 'Ender's Game' Battle Sim, Or Lem's 'Kingdom In A Box'?
'So, Ender, we will now begin your education.'
Tactile Skin Supplier Map
'What strange sensitivity! What an amazing development of science was manifested in every move and act and word of this Robot!'
Flock Stymied By 'Adversarial Fashion'
'Forget the head atop it, the legs below, feet, arms, hands. It compels erasure.'
