It won’t be long before most people are carrying high-end scientific equipment around in their pockets at all times, said Ramesh Raskar, an associate professor at the MIT Media Lab and the leader of the Camera Culture group there. That equipment comes in the form of smart phones, and Raskar believes this development “will change everything.”
add-on for self-testing eyesight quickly, easily,
and accurately with a mobile phone.
Credit: Andy Ryan, MIT Media Lab
Speaking at the 25th anniversary celebration for the Media Lab, Raskar outlined how he wants to take advantage of the increasingly sophisticated power of today’s mobile devices. He said it dawned on him that the 300 dpi resolution on a smart phone screen made it the rival of expensive, specialized devices.
One of his group’s first experiments is the prototype of Netra, a system that can identify problems with a person’s eyesight using only a smartphone, software, and inexpensive optical add-ons. The system, Raskar said, could help people who can’t afford or get access to full-service optometry.
Don’t settle for half the story.
Get paywall-free access to technology news for the here and now.
