The basic function of sunglasses is to protect your eyes
from dangerous objects or harmful radiation. To achieve this purpose, there are
a lot of inventors adopt military grade technology to create new discoveries to
protect human eyes.
Take for example the CTRL Eyewear team. Their journey
started in 1996 when three professors of Kent State University were requested
by the Air Force to create eyewear that's able to adapt to environmental
conditions. It took about 17 years for Professor Bahman Taheri and his colleagues
to complete the ambitious project named CTRL One which's described as the smartest
and safest eyewear.
However 'smart' here is not because it has an ability of
augmented reality or can be connected to your mobile device. The smartness of
CTRL One refers to the more fundamental aspect. CTRL One will protect your eyes
when the sun is shining. Then when passing or entering into a dark room, you
don't need to take it off, simply press a button, and the dark lenses will
change to be clear lenses.
The secret lies in the ability of e-Tint lens. The majority
of eyeglass lenses are not able to adjust colors according to the surrounding
conditions. Indeed, some models have been equipped with photochromic technique,
but the process of change takes a long time, and can't be set.
e-Tint/Tint-on-Demand is made based on liquid crystal display (LCD) technology,
and although we can choose the desired mode manually, but the color adaptation
runs automatically and in real-time.
CTRL One is categorized as ballistic eyeglass (ANSI Z87.1).
It protects your eyes from the rain exposure, insects and also small debris.
For non-military purposes, CTRL One would be very useful for the cyclists,
adventurers, as well as other outdoor activities enthusiasts. We are given a
hands-off solution: when your hands are holding a canoe paddle or bike
handlebar, the CTRL One lenses are working actively to calibrate the level of
darkness.
Of course the CTRL Eyewear developer is not just focused on
e-Tint lens alone. The nose pad and temples can be customized in order to feel
more comfortable. CTRL One can also be worn by people with visual impairments
through additional accessories. Its frame is presented in several colors:
red-white, blue-white, white, and black. Then there are two options of lenses
colors: neutral and orange (there will be more choices later).
If you are interested, you can order CTRL One at the
crowdfunding site, IndieGogo. CTRL One is
offered starting from US $ 165.