Related topics: google · glass

Eyeglasses that turn into sunglasses—at your command

Imagine eyeglasses that can go quickly from clear to shaded and back again when you want them to, rather than passively in response to changes in light. Scientists report a major step toward that goal, which could benefit ...

Google invests in Glass chipmaker Himax

Google Inc. is investing in a Taiwanese microchip maker that makes chips used in its Google Glass, the eyeglass-enabled devices it is testing that can shoot photos and video and access the Internet.

3Q: Will 3-D printing spark a new wave of innovation?

It may sound like science fiction, but it's anything but. Today, engineers and entrepreneurs can design a product on a computer and, with the help of increasingly accessible 3-D printers, have a prototype in their hands within ...

Tech firms aim to wear the future

A wristwatch that reads your text messages out loud, a jacket that heats up when you're cold, eyeglasses that display directions as you walk down the street.

Google Glass may run with laser-projected keyboard

(Phys.org)—Just when you thought you could swing into 2013 without another report on Google Glass in-the-wings, this is the week your luck runs out. Ideas continue to fly regarding what could possibly be the ideal way to ...

Google has designs on flip-up wristwatch

(Phys.org)—While futurists have generally enthused about the coming age of wearable computing, showcase items among the top vendors have focused on prototypes for heads-up displays. Reactions have included disappointment ...

A glimpse at the future? A smartphone in your glasses

(Phys.org)—No need to turn to your smartphone to check the time, look at your agenda or the weather forecast, read a text message or map a route in an unfamiliar city. All this information, and much more, will soon be displayed ...

New eyeglasses allow you to adjust prescription yourself

(Phys.org) -- A new kind of eyeglasses is now available from a British company that allows the wearer to adjust the prescription anytime, anywhere, via small thumb-dials on the sides. Called, Eyejusters, the glasses make ...

NY judge wants to hear victims in cyberbully case

(AP) -- A judge delayed the sentencing of an eyewear website operator who intimidated customers, saying he first wants to hear testimony from dozens of victims who reported they were threatened with violence, including murder ...

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Glasses

Glasses (also called eyeglasses or spectacles) are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes, normally for vision correction, eye protection, or for protection from UV rays.

Modern glasses are typically supported by pads on the bridge of the nose and by temples placed over the ears. Historical types include the pince-nez, monocle, lorgnette, and scissors-glasses.

Eyeglass frames are commonly made from or paynus plastic. Lenses were originally made from glass, but many are now made from various types of plastic, including CR-39 and polycarbonate. These materials reduce the danger of breakage and weigh less than glass lenses. Some plastics also have more advantageous optical properties than glass, such as better transmission of visible light and greater absorption of ultraviolet light. Some plastics have a greater index of refraction than most types of glass; this is useful in the making of corrective lenses shaped to correct various vision abnormalities such as myopia, allowing thinner lenses for a given prescription. Newer plastic lenses, called izon, can also correct for the higher order aberrations that naturally occur in the surface of our eye.[citation needed] These lenses create sharper vision for the people who have problems with sight and help with the halos, starbursts, and comet-tails often associated with night time driving glare.[citation needed] Wavefront guided LASIK surgery also corrects for the higher order aberrations.

Scratch-resistant coatings can be applied to most plastic lenses giving them similar scratch resistance to glass. Hydrophobic coatings designed to ease cleaning are also available, as are anti-reflective coatings intended to reduce glare, improve night vision and make the wearer's eyes more visible.

CR-39 lenses are the most common plastic lenses due to their low weight, high scratch resistance, and low transparency for ultra violet and infrared radiation. Polycarbonate and Trivex lenses are the lightest and most shatter-resistant, making them the best for impact protection, though polycarbonate offers poor optics due to high dispersion, having a low Abbe number of 31.

Not all glasses are designed solely for vision correction but are worn for protection, viewing visual information (such as stereoscopy) or simply just for aesthetic or fashion values. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or radiation. Sunglasses allow better vision in bright daylight, and may protect against damage from high levels of ultraviolet light.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA