Coming up: A smart contact lens

Google Glass didn’t exactly take the world by storm, but it may have laid the groundwork for the future of wearable tech. Mashable reports that Samsung has received a patent in South Korea for smart contact lenses with built-in cameras that can project images directly into your eyes.

According to Mashable’s source, a Samsung-focused tech blog called SamMobile, the patent application was filed in South Korea back in 2014, around the time Google was granted patents for smart contact lenses. SamMobile reporter Michel G. writes that the design for the lenses includes a camera, antenna, and sensors that monitor blinking as a means of controlling the device. As is the case with most patents acquired by large companies, the news doesn’t necessarily mean Samsung is going to introduce augmented reality smart contacts any time soon, but it does show that the company has been exploring the technology.

Tech-equipped contact lenses are a whole different animal from traditional wearable devices because of the potential risks involved. (After all, as anyone with less-than-perfect eyesight can tell you, even regular old prescription lenses can cause health issues). Still, science fiction has been promising this kind of connected future for quite some time now, and it’s exciting to see it unfold.