Two cameras mounted on the glasses' side members send streaming video to a pocket-sized limited-function computer. The pocket computer assembles the visual data into a three-dimensional model and recognizes numbers from 0 to 9. The computer instructs an array of transparent organic LEDs printed on the glasses' lenses to color small portions of the lens according to the numbers in view, taking into account the geometry of the viewer's perspective. One color corresponds to each number character. By keypad input, users can modify the color scheme.

The central computer also relies on cameras watching the user's eyes, so that it can calculate highlighting coordinates even if the glasses slip down the nose from all the extra weight of the electronics.

A test mode button on the pocket computer toggles on and off all of the highlighting pixels to disable highlighting or convert to sunglasses. Pressing the on button in the pattern "shave and a haircut, two pence" turns on negative highlighting, leaving open spots in the shades for the numbers.
-- Ketchupybread, Dec 17 2008

If extended to all text, this technology could be used as a meatspace adblocker, preventing the wearer from reading the text on billboards and such. Could also keep you on your toes by highlighting the words for colours in a different colour; eg the word 'blue' is highlighted green.
-- spidermother, Dec 17 2008



random, halfbakery