- Apple has patented a new lens system for its augmented reality glasses
- The lenses could adapt based on your eyesight and ambient conditions
- The new patent covers the ability to read the lens shape and conditions
It’s no secret that the Vision Pro headset is not the final form of Apple’s augmented reality (AR) ambitions. The company is known to be working on a set of AR glasses that might offer similar capabilities to the Vision Pro in a far more lightweight package.
Now, a recently published patent has revealed one key feature that these glasses might have, and it could provide a useful boost to your vision.
According to Patently Apple, Apple has patented a set of adjustable lenses that can tweak their curvature and optical power on the fly. The patent, called “Tunable Lens with Lens Surface Measurements,” describes a system that would also pack in real-time feedback based on sensors embedded into your glasses or headset.
The benefit of this is that the lenses could adapt to environmental conditions, such as ambient lighting and your head position. As well as that, you’d be able to tailor them to your personal vision profile, ensuring you get an optimal experience based on own eyesight.
Seeing the future
Apple has published similar patents in the past, but this time around there are a few new elements that we’ve not seen before.
That includes the lenses’ sensing framework, which would allow for feedback to be provided to the user. The patent also adds various methods – such as infrared glint tracking and capacitive sensing – that let the lenses measure their own shape in real time. The extent of the lenses’ ability to detect environmental conditions and adapt to them is also new.
Rumors have suggested that Apple will launch its first pair of AR glasses in 2027, although they could be revealed as soon as next year. That idea was floated just this week by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who has a strong track record for Apple leaks. If it’s correct, we might not have too long to wait before we find out if this patent has been implemented.
That said, as with all patents, there’s no guarantee that the ideas expressed by Apple will actually make it into a finished product – the company might simply be exploring new concepts and ultimately decide against using them.
But at the very least, the patent demonstrates that Apple is considering the abilities and features that a set of AR glasses could be outfitted with, and how these new tools might benefit users in the future.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
