Researchers from the University of Washington and Finland's Aalto University have developed and tested a contact lens that wirelessly displays a one-pixel LED image on a contact lens.

According to the research, the lens was tested on anaesthetized rabbits "with no observed adverse effects." The embedded display in the lens receives data wirelessly through a radio antenna and displays it using a sapphire chip with an embedded micro-LED. The entire system is powered by a silicon power harvester that draws energy from a battery up to 2 cm away.

Unlike virtual reality headsets with LCD displays, the lens allows users to view the outside world behind the projected image through the lens, theoretically allowing for images to appear to float in front of the user or even augmented reality characters that interact with environments in real space.

Researchers are currently working on a multi-pixel version based on micro-Fresnel lenses, though they admit "high resolution, full-color, stand-alone contact lens displays might be many years away."