Smartglasses vs smart lenses: what is Google Smart Lens?
Wearable tech has implications beyond our interactions with the world around us. It can also benefit our health By Marie Brewis | PC Advisor | 28 July 14 Way back in January the Google[x] team announced its smart contact lens project. More recently, Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis said it would be licensing the tech for all ocular medical uses and that its Alcon eyecare division would be teaming with Google to produce smart lenses for the public. But what is Google Smart Lens, how do Google Smart Lens and Google Glass differ, and how can wearable tech transform our health? See all wearable tech reviews
What is Google Smart Lens? Google Smart Lens is a contact lens that is worn in direct contact with the eye. It contains various micro-electronics, including non-invasive sensors and low-power chips, which allow it to collect data and then wirelessly transmit it to an app on a paired mobile device. Google Smart Lens is one of several smart contact lenses in development, with each focused on monitoring different aspects of health.
What is Google Glass? Google Glass is a pair of smartglasses that are worn over the eye and display real-time information that only you can see and hear. It, too, is able to wirelessly transmit data to a paired device, from photos and video to search- and navigation queries. What is Google Glass in a question best answered in our Google Glass video below. Also see Google Glass release date, price and specs
How can Google Smart Lens benefit our health? Google[x] created Smart Lens in an effort to alleviate the daily struggle of diabetics who must keep constant tabs on and maintain their blood sugar levels. Since this data can be collected from tear fluid, Google Smart Lens allows the continuous monitoring of glucose with minimal invasion. And that's just the start. All sorts of information can be collected from tear fluid, including early warning signs of breast-, colon-, lung-, prostate- and ovarian cancers through a chemical called lacryglobin. Novartis is also interested in Google Smart Lens' potential ability to provide vision correction for those who are living with presbyopia and are unable to read without glasses. Google's tech may be able to restore they eye's natural autofocus on close objects. Novartis hopes that through collaboration between Alcon and Google[x] product innovation will be accelerated.
Smartglasses vs smart lenses Smartglasses and smart lenses sound as though they should do similar things, but Google Smart Lens is not Google Glass for those who already wear prescription lenses. Indeed, Google Glass can already be worn by those who also require specs. Both Google Glass and Google Smart Lens could have implications for the healthcare industry. Whereas Google Glass might be a tool worn by the healthcare professional, allowing a doctor to immediately call up information on a patient, or a nurse in recording the administration of medicines, Google Smart Lens would be worn by the patient and used to keep a constant check on their health. Also see What is Google Glass actually useful for? Google Smart Lens looks inward, and is concerned only with the health of its owner. It is designed to go unnoticed, causing minimal disruption as it monitors your health. Conversely, Google Glass looks outward, enabling you to better interact with the world around you. And if it didn't cause some sort of disruption, you wouldn't pay a grand to own it.
諾華與Google結盟研發智慧隱形眼鏡‧聯合新聞網 2014/07/15 【經濟日報╱記者葉亭均╱即時報導】瑞士藥廠諾華（Novartis ）已與Google結盟，研發智慧隱形眼鏡，協助人們改善視力與監控健康狀況。諾華15日發表聲明指出，旗下的眼部護理品公司愛爾康(Alcon)將與Google秘密實驗室Google X合作開發隱形眼鏡，配備有非入侵式感測器、微晶片與內嵌式微型電子裝置，可為糖尿病患者監控胰島素濃度，或者幫助不得不帶眼鏡的人們恢復眼睛的自然焦距。目前雙方都未揭露關於合作協議的條件。諾華執行長吉米尼茲（Joe Jimenez）把眼部護理視為是三大主要部門之一，重要性與品牌藥和學名藥部門相當。吉米尼茲在聲明中表示：「這是我們超越傳統疾病管理框架的重要一部，就從眼部開始著手。」諾華股價15日在瑞士證券交易所盤中上漲0.4%至每股80.75 瑞郎。【中央社／蘇黎世15日綜合外電報導】瑞士藥廠諾華集團（Novartis）已與網路巨擘谷歌（Google）達成協議，將研發「智慧」隱形眼鏡，協助糖尿病患者追蹤血糖量，或讓眼睛恢復聚焦能力。諾華集團表示，這項專為糖尿病患者設計的裝置，將可測量淚液中血糖量，將資料無線傳送到行動裝置。這項技術可能可改變許多糖尿病患者的生活，糖尿病患者每天必須刺破手指高達10次，以查驗體內血糖量。如果這項裝置研發成功，諾華集團將能競逐全球血糖追蹤市場，根據研究公司GlobalData，這個市場到2017年的規模將達120億美元以上。全球各地估計約有3億8200萬人罹患糖尿病。第2個用途是用在老花眼。老花眼指的是眼睛老化時，在聚焦近距離物體上有困難。諾華集團希望這種眼鏡技術可協助恢復眼睛聚焦能力，幾乎就像攝影機的自動對焦功能。非侵入性感測器與微晶片等微型電子組件，將嵌入這種隱形眼鏡。根據與Google達成的協議，諾華集團旗下視力保健公司愛爾康（Alcon）將進一步研發Google設計的隱形眼鏡技術並將其商業化。Google與諾華集團未透露財務細節。
Lacryglobin in human tears, a potential marker for cancer. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2001 Jun;29(3):161-3. Lacrygobin has been identified in human tears. This protein has high sequence homology to the mammaglobins, proteins upregulated in breast cancer and in breast cancer metastasis. In order to investigate the utility of tear screening for cancer tear samples were collected from patients with different types of cancer and compared to controls. Tear samples were taken from five controls and eight breast, six lung, five colon, one prostate and three ovary cancer patients. Tears were analysed using 2-D gel electrophoresis (n = 25) and 1-D electrophoresis (n = 3). Lacryglobin was present in the following percentage of patients: breast cancer (88%), lung (83%), colon (100%), ovary (33%), prostate (100%) and controls (60%). Two control patients with lacryglobin had a family history of breast and prostate cancer. Lacryglobin was detected in some but not all tear samples and further studies are warranted to investigate its potential as a marker for cancer.
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