MASSIVE Samsung Galaxy deals during Discover Samsung!

SamMobile has affiliate and sponsored partnerships. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a commission.

Samsung envisions its smart contact lens to have ‘energy harvesting’ capabilities

Virtual Reality
By 

Last updated: December 12th, 2016 at 12:58 UTC+01:00

You may remember Samsung’s smart contact lens patent that we detailed last spring. Now, a new patent application published recently in South Korea sheds more light on the concept. Particularly, the documents reveal how power is to be supplied to, or rather by, the lens.

Last June, Samsung filed an application for a patent ominously titled Contact lens with an energy harvesting unit (PDF), which was published a few days ago. The contact lens described in the new patent application is equipped with a power supply unit that converts dynamic energy generated by the movement of the wearer’s eye into electricity, using a piezoelectric element layered within the lens.

samsung-patent-contact-lens-power-harvesting-unit

 

150: piezoelectric element, 165: power storage

Since the user will obviously not be moving his or her eyes constantly, the lens will need at least some limited form of energy storage in the form of a capacitor, as the document indeed describes. Samsung reckons it can include all required components, next to several bio-sensors and an AR display or projector, in a lens that is thin enough to remain comfortably wearable.

Now, despite this patent application bringing some much-needed detail to the contact lens concept described in Samsung’s earlier patent, this is no indication whatsoever that a commercial product using this technology is anywhere near launch, or even being developed. Samsung is clearly exploring concepts and ideas here, claiming some important but largely unexplored territory for itself. However, whether real smart contact lenses will ever see the light of day remains to be seen. And even when they do, they will likely bring ethical dilemmas that make those associated with, for example, Google Glass look like child’s play.

samsung-patent-contact-lens-power-harvesting-unit-3

samsung-patent-contact-lens-power-harvesting-unit-2

Virtual Reality patentssmart contact lens
Load comments

You might also like

Samsung’s new move could make screen replacements costlier in the US

Samsung’s new move could make screen replacements costlier in the US

Samsung Display is trying to stop imports of third-party OLED screen replacements for smartphones in the US. The South Korean firm has filed a request with the ITC (International Trade Commission) to investigate the import of third-party smartphone OLED panels for independent repair stores. And this could strike a massive blow to the entire repair […]

  • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
  • 4 months ago
Samsung signs multi-year 5G patent deal with Nokia

Samsung signs multi-year 5G patent deal with Nokia

Samsung, the biggest smartphone brand in the world, has signed a multi-year 5G patent agreement with Nokia. As a part of this long-term agreement, the South Korean firm will use Nokia’s fundamental inventions in 5G and other technologies in its smartphones and other mobile devices. Samsung Electronics will make royalty payments to Nokia for its […]

  • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
  • 4 months ago
Samsung to be investigated by the US over possible patent infringement

Samsung to be investigated by the US over possible patent infringement

Legal challenges and investigations are par for the course for multinational corporations, particularly those in the tech space since patents are closely guarded are heavily defended by those that hold them. Samsung has fought long patent battles with many companies, most popularly with Apple, and has also faced investigations from government regulators. The company now […]

  • By Adnan Farooqui
  • 7 months ago
Samsung to be investigated by USITC over possible patent infringement

Samsung to be investigated by USITC over possible patent infringement

The US International Trade Commission is opening a probe into some of the biggest tech companies on the planet and Samsung is also on the list. The commission voted to start an investigation into certain capacitive touch-controlled devices and components. It has started this investigation based on a complaint from Neodron, an Ireland-based company that […]

  • By Adnan Farooqui
  • 3 years ago
Samsung remains the top patent filer in the US for the second year

Samsung remains the top patent filer in the US for the second year

Tech companies work on products that they may or may not release many years down the line. What’s more important for them is to obtain patents on their inventions so that they’re covered in the event they ever decide to launch a new product. Samsung files for and is granted thousands of patents every year […]

  • By Adnan Farooqui
  • 3 years ago
Samsung and Huawei settle their patent disputes in China

Samsung and Huawei settle their patent disputes in China

Samsung and Huawei have been involved in a fierce legal battle for many years now. They have sued each other in dozens of patent infringement cases both in China and the US. Earlier this year, the two companies decided to settle their lawsuits in the US, and it appears they have decided to opt for […]

  • By Naresh
  • 4 years ago