Google, Novartis team to back smart contact lenses development

PanARMENIAN.Net - Google has teamed up with Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis to support the development of its smart contact lenses.

The devices will be capable of monitoring the wearer's health while autofocusing their vision, Digital Spy reveals citing Reuters.

The first lenses to launch as a result of the partnership will be aimed at diabetics, measuring their glucose levels via their tear ducts and sending the data to a synced mobile device.

Kitted out with non-invasive sensors, microchips and other miniaturised components, the lenses are in development at Google's Project X division, the team behind Google Glass.

Novartis chief executive Joe Jimenez has been quoted as saying that the product could make it to market within the next five years.

"I think you're going to see more and more areas of unmet medical need where companies like Novartis are going to take a non-traditional approach to addressing those needs," he said.

Google unveiled a prototype smart contact lens back in January.