A team of researchers has developed a next-generation wireless ophthalmic diagnostic technology that replaces the existing stationary, darkroom-based retinal testing method by incorporating an ultrathin OLED into a contact lens. This breakthrough is expected to have applications in diverse fields such as myopia treatment, ocular biosignal analysis, augmented-reality (AR) visual information delivery, and lightbased neurostimulation. The researchers say it is the world’s first wireless contact lens-based wearable retinal diagnostic platform using organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).
This technology enables ERG simply by wearing the lens, eliminating the need for large, specialized light sources and dramatically simplifying the conventional, complex ophthalmic diagnostic environment.
The joint research team integrated an ultrathin flexible OLED — approximately 12.5 μm thick, or 6–8 times thinner than a human hair — into a contact lens electrode for ERG. They also equipped it with a wireless power receiving antenna and a control chip, completing a system capable of independent operation.
For power transmission, the team adopted a wireless power transfer method using a 433 MHz resonant frequency suitable for stable wireless communication. This was also demonstrated in the form of a wireless controller embedded in a sleep mask, which can be linked to a smartphone — further enhancing practical usability. (Image credit: Sim et al., KAIST)
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