20th January 2020

World's first truly smart contact lens will feature built-in display

Mojo Vision, a technology company founded in 2015 and based in Silicon Valley, has announced it is building the world's first truly "smart" contact lens, called the Mojo Lens.

Mojo Lens is a contact lens with a built-in display that gives people the useful and timely information they want, without forcing them to look down at a screen or losing focus on the people and the world around them. Mojo calls this eyes-up experience Invisible Computing, a platform that enables information to be instantaneous, unobtrusive and available hands-free, and will allow people to interact with each other more freely and genuinely.

The company has been researching and developing its groundbreaking technology and holds patents critical to the development of an augmented reality (AR) smart contact lens dating back over 10 years. They are currently demonstrating a working prototype of the device. Mojo is conducting feasibility clinical studies for R&D iteration purposes under an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. The Mojo Lens is currently in the research and development phase and is not available for sale anywhere in the world. The company's product development plans had previously remained in stealth.

The Mojo Lens is designed to be useful in many different situations, from consumer to enterprise. Additionally, the company is planning an early application of the product designed to help people struggling with low vision via enhanced image overlays. This application of the Mojo Lens is designed to offer real-time contrast and lighting enhancements, as well as zoom functionality. With its inconspicuous contact lens form factor, Mojo Lens is designed to serve as a low vision aid that could remain discreet for the wearer and allow a hands-free experience, while delivering enhanced functional vision to assist in mobility, reading, and sighting.

In businesses and organisations, the Mojo Lens is being designed to give workers or specialists access to real-time information, greatly improving productivity, precision, and compliance without having to look down at a mobile device or through an awkward, vision-blocking headset that limits situational awareness or discourages social interactions.

The Mojo Lens incorporates a number of breakthroughs and proprietary technologies – including the smallest and densest dynamic display ever made, the world's most power-efficient image sensor optimised for computer vision, a custom wireless radio, and motion sensors for eye-tracking and image stabilisation. The Mojo Lens includes the Mojo Vision 14K PPI Display, announced in May 2019. This delivers a world-record pixel pitch of over 14,000ppi and a pixel density of over 200Mppi², making it the smallest, densest display ever designed for dynamic – or moving – content.

"After extensive research, development, and testing, we are excited to reveal our product plans and begin sharing details about this transformative platform," said Drew Perkins, CEO at Mojo Vision. "Mojo has a vision for Invisible Computing where you have the information you want when you want it and are not bombarded or distracted by data when you don't. The technology should be helpful, and it should be available in the moment and fade away when you want to focus on the world around you."

"The Mojo Lens is the first step in delivering Invisible Computing to the world. We look forward to sharing more information and demonstrating future prototypes as we get closer to bringing our product to market," added Perkins.

Mojo Vision so far has raised over $100m in investments. The company also announced that it is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through its Breakthrough Device Program, a voluntary program designed to provide safe and timely access to medical devices that can help treat irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions. By receiving Breakthrough Device designation for the development of the Mojo Lens, Mojo will work directly with FDA experts to get feedback, prioritise reviews, and develop a final product that meets or exceeds safety regulations and standards.

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