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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Eye Screen"
Fully produced report in MP3 format:
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96 kbps
(90 seconds)
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READER SCRIPT
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GETTING AN EYEFUL... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. IF THE EYES ARE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL, THEN THE CONTACT-LENS MAY BECOME THE T-V SCREEN. USING A COMPLEX MICRO-FABRICATION TECHNIQUE, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON RESEARCHERS HAVE COME UP WITH A WAY TO IMPRINT TINY CIRCUIT-BOARDS AND L-E-D'S DIRECTLY ON A FLEXIBLE CONTACT-LENS. SO, LITERALLY, IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES, INFORMATION, PICTURES, TEXT, THE INTERNET, EVEN VIRTUAL WORLDS COULD APPEAR--UNSEEN BY OTHERS. THE EARLY PROTOTYPE LENS HAS ONLY A FEW L-E-D LIGHTS, AND THE CIRCUIT-BOARD--WHICH IS OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF VISION. IT HAS BEEN CREATED USING BIOLOGICALLY SAFE MATERIALS--AND PRELIMINARY TESTS ARE VERY PROMISING. THE REAL VISION IS TO IMAGINE HOW THESE LENSES COULD BE USED--AND. PRETTY MUCH, THE EYE'S THE LIMIT. THE DEVELOPERS ENVISION APPLICATIONS FROM NAVIGATION, TO INFORMATION, TO ENTERTAINMENT--POSSIBLY EVEN MEDICINE. THEY'RE CONCENTRATING ON MAKING SURE THAT THE LENSES ARE SAFE AND WORKABLE, BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE PRACTICAL FUNCTIONS. WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THIS ONE, FOR YOU. BUT, IF THEY CAN BUILD A CONTACT-LENS WITH ALL THAT STUFF, DO YOU THINK THAT THEY COULD THROW IN A LOCATOR-BEACON--FOR WHEN YOU LOSE ONE? THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
