Bifocal and progressive lenses suck. They’re old tech. Like, Benjamin Franklin old. PixelOptics take a more 21st century approach – liquid crystal lenses that adjust their focus in a fraction of a second, for differing focuses when you need them.
All that’s required to shift the glasses – which can be fitted into any design of frame – is a tap to their touch-sensitive side. A simple electrical impulse changes the liquid crystal, instantly – enabling or disabling a shapeshifting reading zone in the lenses. Or, for an I-can’t-believe-I’m-this-impressed-by-glasses moment, slide your finger along the side of the specs to active a tiny gyroscope that’ll adjust the focus as you move your head.
It’s a subtle shift that’s hard to appreciate without, you know, wearing the glasses. But as you can see from my attempt to test the incredible lenses (look at the shifting pattern on the gent’s tie!), it works. PixelOptics hopes to bring the glasses to market by April, but really, as long as they’re out by the time I hit 40, I’m content. And I’m hoping the price will have come down from $US1200. [PixelOptics]