Eyewear Gets Second Look as Screen for Viewing Data

MicroOptical rolled out a new product recently, $995 eyeglasses designed to help factory workers - for instance, circuit probers who test electronics - keep their eyes on the product and a computer monitor simultaneously. The glasses project an image from a DVD player or computer screen into optics-embedded lenses. The image covers only a portion of his field of vision, so Spitzer can still see the room around him.

Down the road, cheaper consumer versions could entertain children on car trips or even let football fans sneak a peek at the game while stuck at dinner with unsuspecting family members. One particular area where Spitzer believes such "heads-up" products could really catch on: the converging world of cell phones and handheld computers. Consumers are demanding more and more features and bigger screens in their handhelds. Yet they want the devices to stay light.

MicroOptical is also trying its hand at fashion, working to make its product as indistinguishable as possible from regular glasses. Its partner is French lens maker Essilor. For now, the gadget still looks a little bulky to pass for a regular pair of glasses, though it's only a fraction heavier. A wire runs from the image source to the temple of the frame, and the image is projected into optics embedded in the plastic lens.