Contact lens with integrated light-emitting component

• US 8,446,341 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Washington
• Original Assignee: University of Washington
• Inventors: Amirparviz, Babak, Shen, Tueng T., Lingley, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Sanjiv D
• Application Number:
  US12/463,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20100001926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 348/739, 345/158, 351/219
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

A light-emitting contact lens and a method and system for tracking a user'"'"'s eye position using the light-emitting contact lens are disclosed. The eye position tracking can be used, for example, to allow the user to interact with a display device such that the position of the user'"'"'s eye determines the image generated by the display device. Thus, as the user'"'"'s eye moves, the image on the display device will be altered to represent the new position (e.g., viewing angle) of the user with regard to the display device.

Claims

1. A light-emitting contact lens, comprising

a transparent substrate shaped to be worn directly over a user'"'"'s eye having a light-emitting component disposed thereon oriented such that light emitted from the light-emitting component is directed away from the user'"'"'s eye;

and

a means for supplying power to the light-emitting component.

2. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting component is selected from the group consisting of light-emitting diodes, micro-lamps, and lasers.

3. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the light emitted from the light-emitting component is infrared light.

4. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the means for supplying power to the light-emitting component is selected from the group consisting of a battery, a solar cell, an inertial power harvester, and an energy transfer antenna.

5. The contact lens of claim 1, further comprising a second component disposed thereon, said component selected from the group consisting of a semi-transparent display, a light-detecting component, and a biosensor.

6. A system for tracking eye position, comprising

a transparent substrate shaped to be worn directly over a user'"'"'s eye having a light-emitting component disposed thereon oriented such that light emitted from the light-emitting component is directed away from the user'"'"'s eye;

a means for supplying power to the light-emitting component; and

a means for detecting the light emitted from the light-emitting component.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for detecting the light emitted from the light-emitting component is selected from the group consisting of a photo diode and a photo-multiplier tube.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a display device operatively connected to the means for detecting the light emitted from the light-emitting component.

9. A method for determining eye position comprising:

providing a first light-emitting contact lens having a first light-emitting component disposed thereon and oriented such that light emitted from the light-emitting component is directed away from a user'"'"'s first eye;

detecting the light emitted from the first light-emitting component; and

using the detected light to determine the position of the first light-emitting component.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising tracking the position of the first light-emitting component by continuously detecting the light emitted from the first light-emitting component.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating an image on a display device, wherein the image changes based on the determined position of the first light-emitting component.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a virtual three-dimensional image on a display device that continuously simulates three-dimensional imagery using the position of the first light-emitting component.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a second light-emitting contact lens having a second light-emitting component disposed thereon oriented such that light is directed away from a user'"'"'s second eye;

detecting the light emitted from the second light-emitting component; and

determining the position of the second light-emitting component.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising tracking the position of the second light-emitting component by continuously detecting the light emitted from the second light-emitting component.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the light emitted from the first light-emitting component and the second light-emitting component is different with respect to a characteristic selected from the group consisting of wavelength and amplitude modulation frequency.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating a virtual three-dimensional image on a display device that continuously simulates three-dimensional imagery using the positions of the first light-emitting component and second light-emitting component.

17. A method for generating an image on a display device in relation to the spatial position of a viewer in relation to the display device, comprising

(a) determining a first position of a user'"'"'s first eye through the steps of:

(i) providing a transparent substrate to the user shaped to be worn directly over a user'"'"'s first eye having a first light-emitting component disposed thereon oriented such that light is directed away from the user'"'"'s first eye;

(ii) detecting the light emitted from the first light-emitting component; and

(iii) determining the position of the first light-emitting component;

(b) providing a first image on the display device, wherein the first image content is determined by the first position of the user'"'"'s first eye;

(c) determining a second position of a user'"'"'s first eye through the steps of;

(iv) detecting the light emitted from the first light-emitting component; and

(v) determining the position of the first light-emitting component; and

(d) providing a second image on the display device, wherein the second image content is determined by the second position of the user'"'"'s first eye.