Take a look at your eyes (shhh, just do it). They are among the most incredible visual systems on the planet. Your eyes can manage light in an immense variety of situations, and can focus on objects from infinity to near macro levels (when you were younger). Mechanical lens systems have tried to replicate what nature does so easily only to fall short thus far.
Ohio State University has broken new ground however, and developed a fluid filled lens that can change shape like our eyes do.
The lens is a flexible polymer and designed similar to an insect's via multiple miniature lenses nested inside. Each is capable of being individually adjusted to achieve it's desired focus. When it comes to application it seems unlikely that a liquid filled item would make it into many electronics but anything is possible.
If you'd like to read more about this, check the link below for more technical details.
Via Discovery
Hi, for your information Varioptic is working on liquid lens auto focus for years now ! Check for example : http://www.varioptic.com/products/variable-focus/ But I am not aware of any consumer product shipped with a liquid lens.
Hmm. Thought there was some Norwegians who made this first? I saw it on the news with a demo a couple of months ago.
But yes, the concept looks awesome
This seems to be an old concept. I found an article from 2004 about this. http://www.idg.no/produkter/maskinvare/tilleggsutstyr/article27626.ece it´s in Norwegian, but nothing that Google translate cant handle :)
Makes one wonder if the "most incredible visual systems on the planet" happened by chance or if they too were created by a greater power. #Genesis1:1
It is the real question isn't it. Anyone who can't see design in nature is just burying their head in the sand cos they don't want to see it. ;-)