Exciting news for those enough who are 40+ and spend too much time in front of a computer screen: a Finnish startup called IXI is promising to end the era of clunky bifocals and the ‘head-tilt’ struggle of progressive lenses, replacing them with a pair of glasses that focus as naturally as the human eye using a combination of infrared eye tracking and liquid crystal-transparent indium tin oxide glasses
Amazon-backed
Hard pass.
Subscription unlocks ability to also run in slow motion.
Honestly, the tech seems quite impressive. But I wouldn’t touch Amazon-backed smart glasses, which “could also provide health insights, such as detecting dry eyes or monitoring posture”, with a ten-foot pole; especially when there’s also entirely passive bifocals and progressives.
I really hate late stage capitalism for this. Any useful invention is quickly captured and enshittified for profit. If this came out 20-30 years ago I doubt anyone would have reservations.
Couldn’t agree more
Good luck when your glasses subscriptions end.
Yeeeeaaaahhhh, I’m going to go ahead and stick with a one time payment for proven 250+ year old technology instead of what would very likely be a subscription based privacy nightmare that can revoke my access to clear sight whenever they update their T&Cs. Hard pass, get fucked with a splintery utility pole.
If you think glasses are a one-time cost, I feel like you’ve never worn glasses. I had 10 years in my life where my vision didn’t change, and now I need bifocals/progressives. Given the nature of the condition, I expect to have to get new prescriptions every 2 to 4 years until I die or go blind.
That said, the rest of your comment is quite likely painfully true, especially if Amazon has their fingers in it.
I should have clarified one time cost for frames and a pair of lenses compared against a potential (likely) subscription. I have personally worn bifocals for the last 21 years.
21 years with the same frames?
Again, no. My point is that if I purchase a pair of frames with lenses, the transaction is over. I would not have to pay a monthly subscription for those same glasses and lenses to remain functional, which is much more likely for a set of glasses infused with technology and tracking, backed by Amazon.
The tech glasses positied here would still need to be updated periodically. Per the article, they have a base prescription lens that then has additional focusing ability layered on via the technology.
Yeah, but that isn’t a one-time cost, either. That’s a recurring cost, typically on a biannual basis, and usually much higher than the monthly subscription. That said, being able to walk out with something that is going to reliably work for the next couple years definitely has its benefits. Ive just never considered something with a definite lifespan and a requirement to replace as a one-time cost. Kind of like the difference between paying property taxes monthly or yearly - I’m still paying and it isn’t going to stop.
I get your point on that. My assumption with the tech glasses is that you purchase the hardware outright and pay a subscription for the software functionality, similar to other tech devices that have fallen to enshitification. The prime difference I see is that standard glasses packages are a one time lump payment vs a one time lump payment followed by a slow bleed of money. Yes, prescriptions change, frames break, etc., but on a 1:1 comparison level, you get more reliable functionality and cost effectiveness through regular glasses rather than something that can be bricked through a bad software/firmware update or rendered nonfunctional by the manufacturer if you reject an invasive privacy policy or let a subscription lapse.
But just imagine what it can do for personalized ads. Why won’t anyone think of the advertisers?
Subscription based? Why would something like this even have internet connectivity in the first place, let alone a subscription?
Bold assumption on my part here, but why would the manufacturer of such a juicy target for tracking not make it with connectivity? Something like this would be monetized and milked for advertising and subscription revenue on principle alone. Eye tracking technology that determines vision clarity based on where the user looks is but a small skip and a jump from advertising based on where the user looks.
ETA: Per the first line of the article, the company is backed by Amazon.
Future versions won’t focus properly unless you look at an Amazon ad for 60 seconds. No closing your eyes or looking away. The glasses can tell if you’re paying attention.
Good luck when the batteries die.
When the battery dies, the glasses continue to function as a traditional pair of single-vision specs, ensuring the wearer is never left in the dark or have safety compromised such as when driving or operating machinery.
Clunky bifocals?
Vs the battery, camera, and focusing mechanism these are going to need?
There is at least graceful degradation:
When the battery dies, the glasses continue to function as a traditional pair of single-vision specs, ensuring the wearer is never left in the dark or have safety compromised such as when driving or operating machinery.
If it works as well as they’re claiming, that would be pretty cool. For the moment I remain skeptical.
Are these the auto-focus ones? If so, that’s surprisingly slim… If there are no other components.
Plus “clunky” bifocals have way fewer moving parts and can be made with thin wire frames so they’re lighter.
I’m sure there might be someone with really bad eyesight for whom these might be useful - like if the near and far prescriptions are too different to be possible, maybe - but this is inferior to the actual solution in almost every way.
And if you forget to charge your bifocals they still work the next day.
Plus “clunky” bifocals have way fewer moving parts and can be made with thin wire frames so they’re lighter.
As someone with clunky bifocals, the weight of the frame (even the chunky ones) is absolutely unnoticeable compared to the weight of the lenses. You don’t get thin wireframes for the lower weight, you get it because they’re less noticeable visually.
This Guy bifocals’s
Good to know. But unless you want to be giving Rivers Cuomo the autofocus ones probably aren’t your style.
Also, could there be a backlash against thick frames in the future because they might be hiding electronics
I’m cautiously optimistic. This looks like a reasonable use of tech that doesn’t seem to have so many of the spyware elements that other glasses (like Meta) have. There’s no external camera, no screens (only lenses), and no mention needing an app or internet connection.
As someone in their target demographic I’m interested to find out what is actually released and would consider purchasing a pair.
I’m be ready to try it. Having to take my readers off to walk around, and put them on to glance at my phone is a real drag. I also need another pair for using my PC as the screen is further away. It’s a real hassle, so I’d pay really good money to have a good looking pair that auto-adjusts for these uses.
If it’s a subscription model though, it can eat a bag of dicks.
The part that worries me is what happens when the glasses batteries are empty. Do they get fall back to “long-distance / myopia” mode so that you can still see at at distance and able to drive?
I love tinkering with gadgets, but sometimes the manufacturers of these tech-based version forget to cover the basics before enhancing it with tech.
A good example are smartwatches. They can be filled with sensors, but they need to at least do one thing well, and that is to show time reliably.
Per another commenter (and the article):
When the battery dies, the glasses continue to function as a traditional pair of single-vision specs, ensuring the wearer is never left in the dark or have safety compromised such as when driving or operating machinery.
At least they covered that 😬
Oh I remember this bullshit. I remember when headphones used to just work. Now they take 10+ minutes of my day troubleshooting the connection, battery, pairing, etc. to listen to music which I now rent but used to own on a stereo which didn’t surveil me and sell my data. NOW youre telling me I can go FUCK MYSELF with new techbro glasses? SIGN ME UP!
Exactly! Fuck this noise lets just fix our eyes.
I understand your sentiment as I am annoyed by similar issues. But the wireless in ear headphones also changed a lot how we use them. I guess it’s similar for glasses. People will appreciate the auto focus but will inevitably complain if batteries run out or glasses malfunction.
The monthly payment for your ‘auto-focus tier 2’ plan is due. Failure to submit will result in immediate suspension of the total bullshit you signed up for.
My Bose noise canceling headphones do not allow noise canceling when you use the audio jack, only for Bluetooth. It’s maddening. Found this out on a plane when it was too late to do anything about it.
There’s nothing about a subscription in here, and there’s no need for an internet connection. Sensors just watch how your eyes are trying to focus and adjust the metal lens that’s sandwiched between the glass parts.
nothing…yet.
Stupid. The long list of people saying “but what if we put tech in it!” is littered with marketing inflating the actual problem.
This is, at least, trying to solve an actual problem. It remains to be seen whether the solution is more cost effective (and durable) as bifocals. As a human of a certain age myself, I would welcome being able to see without having to tilt my head awkwardly.
But something tells me this tech is not self-contained, and requires an always-on connection to some cloud resource which is guzzling electricity and water. No thanks! Bifocals are cheaper.
Who wants to bet they won’t track where your gaze is looking and sell that data to the highest bidder?
As a 55 man constantly switching glasses, taking them off, losing the “right” pair, etc. please please please …
progressive bifocals.
I have them. I also have a large monitor both at home and at work that the sweet spot for being able to focus is a narrow range toward the bottom. So I have a pair of single vision computer glasses that I either misplace or forget I’m still wearing when I leave the office to drive home. So I’m still constantly switching glasses. Yeah I know …. first world problems. I want my old eyes back. Getting old sucks.
I just want a technological fix for what my eyes used to be able to do on their own.
I have a pair on right now. They’re better than not seeing correctly, but only being able to focus on a computer screen with less than a third of your vertical field of view sucks. There are options, but one of the best is having more sets of glasses, which isn’t convenient or cheap. These could solve that. I’m sure Amazon will make it not worth it at some point, though.
Zenni. Have your doc write a scrip for standalone monitor glasses and have them fill that. (Had bad luck with Zenni doing progressives, but a simple reader prescription? $20)
Ive thought of it. Probably going to do sunglasses first, t’hough. Or rather second, after my single vision safety glasses.
Yeah Amazon will figure out a way to enshittify them for sure. Most. Likely with a subscription program for what should be totally standalone.
Only for the rich
- Gotta start somewhere
- Once the tech is figured out, there will be copies
Don’t worry, they’ll make a version with advertisements inserted into the field of view for the poors.
They can block view of specific things, and force you to pay to unlock them. They can also add features you can subscribe to, like ‘make your spouse look more attractive’. I tell you, the business possibilities are endless.
With AI that detects when you’re orgasming from porn to optimize the dopamine connection with the product!
