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Imagine instant access to the latest market segment information at a

meeting, or seeing the fourth quarter earnings for a company in (literally) the blink of an eye. Although it might sound like something from a science fiction novel,

scientists at the University of Washington are working on solar powered contact

lenses with transparent LEDs embedded onto the lens. This technology could be applied in countless ways, from health monitoring to

text translation right in front of the wearer’s eyes. In 2006, my team at SKD designed a very similar concept for our “Cautionary Visions” project. Analyzing current trends in technology and popular culture, from emerging demands for constant connection to the increasingly blurred boundaries between natural and artificial, my designers imagined the dark alleys down which these trends could take us. One of the results

was an “Assisted Living Contact Lens” that would project helpful information,

such as the calorie count for a chocolate scone, or a GPS map overlay locating

the nearest gyms.

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Now it seems like our idea might become a reality. And the more I

think about it, the more it seems like this concept could be the new Bluetooth

headset. I still remember an article that ran in the Los Angeles Times: “Crazy?

Or Cell Phone?” I used to ask myself the same question every time I saw a well-dressed

man yelling and gesturing wildly to himself. But I haven’t asked that question in years. These days, the seeming

psycho-social disconnect displayed by talking to oneself in public is rarely

considered grounds for insanity. The small wireless headsets that were once

novelties have now become the norm. This is the process that happens once a new

technology proves its relevance in users’ lives. Bluetooth has been a massive benefit to the business world–the

mobility allows constant communication with clients and its hands-free

operation increases efficiency and allows for easier multi-tasking. And

fortunately, most headsets have been implemented in ways that meet user needs

for fit, comfort and functionality. Today, it’s used ubiquitously by CEOs and

soccer moms. Relevance is the challenge that new technology developers face, and

it’s an area where designers can add value. Relevance involves finding the

right audience for a new product, then discovering the needs of this audience

and building a product around the need. When developing Jabra’s first line of

Bluetooth headsets in 2000, my team at SKD looked at cultural factors and found

that the increasingly blurred lines between work and personal life and the

desire for constant connectivity made business professionals a great group of

early adopters for Bluetooth Headsets. The capability of the technology solved

an unmet need in their lives. Which takes me back to the Smart Lens. Since the Assisted Living

Contact Lens was conceived, a slough of new Smart Phones have engendered a

populace absorbed in palm-sized screens and created a widespread desire for

on-demand information. In today’s context, a Smart Lens sounds more convenient

than creepy. Personally, I have a terrible memory for names. I might appreciate

a contact lens that could provide labels over people’s heads when I walked into

a room.

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So if you see me gazing off into a distant world of information that

only I can see, you may have fun wondering, “Crazy? Or contact lens?”…until you get your own. Read more of Stuart Karten’s Dear

Stuart blog

Browse blogs by our Expert

Designers For 25 years, Stuart Karten Design

(SKD) has designed products that serve as brand

ambassadors for its clients and lead to greater market share and

increased profit. SKD’s team of 25 designers,

researchers, and mechanical engineers guide a product from

conceptualization through production. SKD is renowned for its medical

products and its ear-centric devices, including communication headsets

for Jabra and Plantronics, the Zōn

hearing aid for Starkey Laboratories, and noise-cancelling ear buds for

Ultimate Ears. SKD’s awards include IDEA, Red Dot, iF, Good Design and

the I.D. Annual

Design Review. Conceptual “Epidermits Interactive Pet” was a part of

MOMA’s Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition.

In 2008, Fast Company named SKD among America’s top

five “Design Factories” in its annual Masters of Design issue.