Forget bifocals, these `smart glasses` will automatically focus on what you see

New Delhi: Scientists have developed a pair of smart glasses that are set to end the hassle of constantly swapping glasses while reading and the concept of wearing bifocals.

These glasses can automatically adjust the focus on what a person is seeing, whether it is far away or close.

The glasses developed by researchers at University of Utah in the US contain lenses made of glycerin, a thick colourless liquid enclosed by flexible rubber-like membranes in the front and back.

The rear membrane in each lens is connected to a series of three mechanical actuators that push the membrane back and forth like a transparent piston, changing the curvature of the liquid lens and the focal length between the lens and the eye.

"Most people who get reading glasses have to put them on and take them off all the time. You don't have to do that anymore. You put these on, and it's always clear," said Carlos Mastrangelo, computer engineering professor at Utah.

The human eye has a lens inside that adjusts the focal depth depending on what you look at.

However, as people age, the lens loses its ability to change focus, which is why many people ultimately require reading glasses or bifocals to see objects up close and regular eyeglasses to see far away.

(With PTI inputs)