The internet doesn’t quite know how to handle the news that we may soon have contact lenses with computers built inside.
A viral tweet depicting the technology, which could allow humans to visualize everything from email alerts to driving directions, has people feeling spooked, intrigued, and outright confused.
A computer inside your contact lens allows you to record videos, surf the web, facial and object recognition, and take photos pic.twitter.com/nAlYgxEyZl
— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) January 26, 2019
The lenses have been in development for several years by engineers at the University of Washington. And although they could undoubtedly aid humans in a range of areas, Twitter users had ideas of their own.
Black Mirror warned y’all https://t.co/NPYsCLHIeR
— Josué (@sandavidcito) January 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/SpacemanLabonte/status/1089696573670543360
George Orwell warned y’all**
— G (@gk1997__) January 27, 2019
While some imagined visions of a dystopian future, others saw the lenses, unsurprisingly, as a way to discreetly watch porn or cheat on tests.
Imagine someone hacking in to yo eye so that all you see is vr porn
— Dandi 💧 (@DSwerveo) January 27, 2019
Just imagine, looking at a wall.
— yung_liquid (@RiverWater707) January 28, 2019
Watching a porno
https://twitter.com/sunnyd_solaire/status/1089942524469407744
As exciting as the technology is, many just felt that the contact lenses would be unbearably uncomfortable or overwhelming.
https://twitter.com/NickiEstradaa/status/1089538019001028615
I already cry putting my astigmatism lenses in, you think I can handle putting Karen from The Chum Bucket in my eye?
— Jordy :) (@voguejordy) January 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/pearllangelica/status/1089353424062144512
But of course, there are always countless people willing and ready to try out the latest technology, even if it means sticking circuits and gadgetry right onto their delicate eyeballs.
im down
— Chris Ray Gun (@ChrisRGun) January 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/MaravillaGabby/status/1089445048788250625
Don’t care I want that shit
— Joseph (@kushjush) January 28, 2019
At the end of the day, the internet can’t decide whether computerized contact lenses represent a dystopian Black Mirror future or the next great leap in technology. Regardless, superhuman vision could just be a few years away.