Josh Silver demos adjustable liquid-filled eyeglasses

[instereovideos]

If these ever catch on in developed countries, optometrists are gonna get pissed.

[MennoKnight1]

I have personally bought a few hundred of these and they are going to be handed out in Gautamala in February of 2010 to the poor.

[MennoKnight1]

These glasses are intended for people with no access to eye doctors. Much of the developing world cannot get eye glasses because there is nobody to make their prescription. These do that for them.

Silver is NOT marketing them for the developed world and he is selling them at a loss of profit. He is no fraud. He is the real thing.

[plbulla]

*stronger.... Also, the lens would probably need to be filled to begin with, and gradually deflated so that the center would lose thickness and the two bound sides would remain as thick, creating the cylinder

[plbulla]

The majority of spec wearers run between +6 and -6, regardless of cyl just to correct 6 dp sphere would mean the world entire to a person who could hardly function otherwise... Leaving the more complicated corrections to the optical professionals, greatly lessening the burden of a developing society. Besides, it's not too far a stretch to add another fluid lens in a slot on the rear that are bound at two sides to produce a progressively stringer cylinder when filled, on a rotatable dial for axis

[lemansbmwracer]

DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MAN. HE IS A FOOL AND A BRITISH FRAUD. FIRST OF ALL THESE GLASSES DO NOT COVER AXIS, OR CYLINDER. SECOND A OPTOMITRIST KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED, YOU WOULD REALLY RUIN YOU EYES BY WEARING THE WRONG PRESCRIPTION. THERE ARE MANY VARIABLES INVOLVED IN GLASSES. i HOPE THIS GUY GET'S JUMPED.

[instereovideos]

@lemansbmwracer Well, I'm sure we all appreciate the heads up... but I'm gonna doubt that what you're saying is true. It isn't that I have any facts or know better personally... but if I had to choose between the word of someone who was invited to TED, and someone who writes in ALL CAPS LIKE AN IDIOT and says things like "I HOPE HE GETS JUMPED," I'm gonna go with the former until I hear something similar from someone respectable. Thanks though, really.

[MennoKnight1]

Since reading about these glasses in National Geographic I have raised the funds, got Kevin White, the retired marine in charge of GV2020 to come up to Winnipeg MB, Canada to send 100 of these glasses and 200 reading glasses out to Guatemala for February 2010.

These things are AMAZING!!!

[Yamakashi1]

its being used in bulgaria?

[SophosVII]

oceanbluesky: because those glasses do not usually take into account that most people do not have the same dioptres on both eyes, that you don't usually find your graduation.

This is a great idea actually

[oceanbluesky]

???? why can't a corner shop just offer two dozen 20 cent plastic glasses of different prescriptions? Customer just picks what "works" for them...??

[drbatana]

Simply love this video. Simple idea but very effective. It reminds me of thinking about adjusting just the thikness of lense with water filled globes which I used to think about in my high school. But this idea is so amazing that it can adjust the power. A Powerful idea...........

[fordieform]

I WANNIT

-hero

[afkhajiit]

I think he should've explained the glasses a bit more, but I get the gist of it. Great idea.

[negutzcht]

all fighting aside, you gotta love the Rolex commercial, though... =)

[darrenfiy]

very true :)

[Stiffmeisteer]

Amazing

[frankscola]

great invention, now all you need is a mod to adjust them at saved distances, with out the liquid, part but by a few lenses that can move and adjust light like the eye ball does.

[blackshroud]

lol, what?!

[Ezer101]

I love this lovable old chap. Great idea.

[aCheesedog]

how this video about glasses turned into a racial debate is beyond me. Threeheadedmonkey, the KKK dose not have a source, they just assume.

[NegativeNick]

TED never lets you down!

[sheepball]

wow nice

[spamsponge]

Cool stuff! Now the next step is to make sure everyone has enough masking tape and pocket protectors.

[belovedconsole]

It is disgusting that Rolex hijack'd this. Absolutely disgusting.

[andyourmother]

What did Rolex do?

[Petchhyy]

Sponsor.

I do think these glasses are a brilliant idea and would be great to catch on in areas of demand in the world.

[Zalobar]

He said their cost was $19. Make them available mail order for $40 and give a pair for $1 to anyone needing them in an underdevelpoed nation. I need 2 pair. One for driving and one for reading. The last time I went to the eye doctor, It cost me $500.

[samoht21]

"not the prettiest glasses i've seen"

Interesting that the person who buys them wouldn't realize that until after they use them for the first time. lol.

[DIProgan]

not the prettiest glasses i've seen

[hughtub]

I don't buy the modern PC argument that Africans are an untapped, valuable human resource. They seem to require much more resources for their output, at least in every 1st world nation they live in, or at least in the USA where I live. Despite educational funding exceeding the average, in Washington DC, a heavily African-American population, their output is one of the lowest test scores in the country.

[ChrisSketch]

Of course, you're not taking into account the original reasons why some areas have heavy black populations and others don't. You can't just ignore the fact that low test scores lead will lead to a poor population, which will lead to a higher crime rate, which will result in lower performance in schools and so on. Its a negative feedback loop and its incredibly difficult to break out of.

A subset of society was forced to live separate from the rest for generations. How do you recover from that?

[bobojr456]

the problem with ur arugment chris (and im seriously not picking on you), is that there are other minority groups that came to this country heavily disadvantaged, lived in segragation, and had few rights but still became successful. i'm referring to Chinese and Japanese immigrants.

I must admit that I am slightly concerned about the unhumanistic tone of hughtub but a lot of what he says I agree with.

[ChrisSketch]

I like that you use the word 'came.' Its an important distinction that most blacks are distinct from other immigrants in that they were brought over here. They were property, not people. The same can't be said for the Chinese or Japanese immigrants. Did they have hardships? Of course. But rising up out of being a low working class, and rising up from being a former slave class (just barely even considered to be full people) is a big difference. Can we agree that the comparison is faulty?

[bobojr456]

i think u bring up a valid point. but i dont think the difference is significant enough to support the idea that it was any easier for asian immgirants, who were also considered inferior.

[ChrisSketch]

You don't understand. What you are arguing doesn't make sense in any scientific context. There is no inherent difference in the brain of humans from different "races" because we are all the same species. All race is, is the specialization over generations in response to environment. Dark skin for greater sun exposure. Light skinned to absorb vitamin D from low sun exposure. Barrel chested for high altitude.

I hope you are aware what you are associating yourself with when you side with hughtub.

[hughtub]

Are you trying to claim that the only difference between races is.. skin color? If so, you are entirely ignorant of the depth of racial differences. A forensic scientist can determine the race just from the skull. An australian aborigine skull is easily identifiable from any other race also, and their more primitive traits explain their limited mental ability. Humans aren't immune to evolution. Yes race is a specialization to environment. Africa didn't weed out as many low IQ as Europe's.

[ChrisSketch]

The shape of the head does not affect IQ as much as you are saying it does. That one effect is insignificant compared to developmental factors such as nutrition and socialization. You simply can't determine intelligence with a tape measure around the head. Whoever convinced you of that had other motives than biology.

[hughtub]

The trend in human evolution has been towards larger frontal cortex, longer-term/analytical thinking. The African environment was fairly easy and didn't require this. Europe's Ice Age weeded out many who didn't plan for the long term. Even today, Europeans and Asians are less impulsive than Africans, choosing to work for the future rather than just do something for short-term gain at the expense of future gain.

[ChrisSketch]

I'm done with this. I am physically nauseous now. I knew that some people still think this way, but seeing spelled out so calmly in front of me... My mind is just blown by the depth of your ignorance.

I don't know what's worse, your blatant disrespect of other human beings or the disgusting distortion of science you're using to justify it. Clearly I'm not going to convince you. And I've made my case as plainly as possible.

[thethreeheadedmonkey]

Right, because lions, hyenas, deadly snakes, deadly scorpions, murderous ants, killer bees, jaguars, leopards, wild dogs, tigers and hippopotamuses are all "simple" factors in their environment. Especially in comparison to an elk, or (heaven forbid) a sheep in Europe.

Provide at least one source for your ridiculous claims. Some of us know how to spot bullshit when it's presented to us. Only if violence is akin to intelligence can you say we are more intelligent than other peoples.

[hughtub]

If violence is akin to intelligence? The races who have the least developed prefrontal cortex (sub-Saharan Africans) incidentally have the highest violent crime rate. Around 50% of all murders are committed by the ~6% black male population in the USA. Poverty doesn't cause violent crime. A lower time priority does, which is related to low intelligence.

[mclarry76]

Classic example of psudo-science. Replace 'black male' with 'jews or gypsies' and you have the makings of ignorance to the Nth degree. Think like a scientist, find facts that might disprove your hypothesis. India's IQ has increased dramatically over the past 50 years, can you attribute this to evolution? Blacks in Japan have much higher IQs than that of their U.S. cousins, are their prefrontal cortex's more developed? Absurd. You shouldn't have an answer looking for a question. Think & research

[imanselmo]

hughtub: I'm interested in your thoughts on this other ted talks video: watch?v=QOSPNVunyFQ&feature=ch­annel_page

[bobojr456]

my views arent as extreme as hughtub but historically certain peoples have been more developed than others.

that being said, it could be a result of culture as much as race. whatever the reason, it's pretty clear that certain groups of people tend to do better historically over others.

[hughtub]

It's a chicken/egg question. Does culture create genius, or do geniuses create culture? I maintain that every great idea throughout history was created by someone of high IQ, the accumulation of it results in a state of high civilization, dependent on the area's incidence of high IQ. If an area lacks people with high IQ and the means of memory (writing, books), they will advance much slower. There are some genes that do correlate with high IQ, and studies show IQ is majority inherited.

[bobojr456]

i think ur oversimplification of the world is dangerous and a big reason why i stay away from your views.

[hughtub]

Reality is what it is, and it benefits whoever fully embraces it. Ignoring parts of it that offend this era's sensibilities is an error, akin to ignoring the fact that the earth was round in the middle ages just because the church said it was flat. Egalitarianism has no basis in reality and is akin to a new religion forced on us.

[regresseur]

"Great idea" is subjective, and many "great ideas" were the result of accidents. IMO your ideas are poorly thought out and your word choice is retarded and confusing, in the comment I'm replying to here, as well as in your other ones. You've also made some pretty bold (and stupid) claims while offering no support or rationale whatsoever, e.g. "Poverty doesn't cause violent crime." Dealing in absolutes? Good job, champ.

[hughtub]

The root is inherently lower IQ. Even black children who grow up in rich black households do worse on SAT/IQ tests and in school than poor white children. Socio-economics has no correlation to it, but race does. Let me be clear though, no creature on earth is "superior" or "inferior", but on certain tested criteria, everything is either superior or inferior. They do worse on IQ b/c of less developed frontal cortex, (more sloped foreheads).

[ChrisSketch]

I'd like to know where you're getting your statistics from, because they reek of eugenics. On your page, you make references to unscientific concepts like de-volution through random mating. You have a gross misunderstanding of how evolution and genetics work. An Aboriginal australian has dark skin because of his genetic history of generations living greater solar radiation. Dark skin shows up all around the equator, not just in African blacks. In those environs they are more evolved than you.

[hughtub]

Oh I wouldn't want to be classed together with such great minds who supported Eugenics as Plato, Darwin, Galton, William Shockley, Keynes, H.G. Wells, Teddy Roosevelt and Alexander Graham Bell.

[plbulla]

dont forget the most popular; Adolf H.

[andid]

There is no such thing as race. If you (as an assumed white person) had a child with a black person, and your child had a baby with another black person, your kid would be 3/4 black, despite any white lineage. Pigmentation/facial features are fluid over generations, and no human is purebred "white" "black" "asian" etc. Black people in America do worse on standardized tests, but your ideas were debunked a century ago, read "The Mismeasure of Man". All signs point to environment.

[ArgueExplain]

So what you're saying is that I'll have a giant client base if I move my optometry business to sub-Saharan Africa.....

[leanonme1]

if you dont mind charging 4 cents....

[xXAkridXx]

I believe in robot economy, robots do all the work we do no work, no money no fuss, just robots.

[ArgueExplain]

But what happens when the robots vote republican and kick all of us off of welfare?

[xXAkridXx]

Build more robots to fight them.

[adj789]

so out of 8 million people only 1 wants to be an optometrist, I don't think glasses are the problem...

[dominice112]

And 98% out of the 8 million most likely has never heard of the profession. It's part of the solution, I agree adj789

[trylonperisphere]

Now if they can invent a liquid-filled Rolex for $19.

[AlexMoensChannel]

brilliant idea, and I hope he is able to achieve his vision. How he'll do it to make it about a dollar in total cost I haven't the faintest idea, but it seems he does. Good luck to you.

[burn70u7]

I cant help thinking about the number of people that could be helped with the money for that Rolex.

Anyone else get a strange sense of irony?

[amsp79]

Irony is almost an understatement, you gotta love how they even used on of their flashiest models too, a gold daytona with gold bracelet. It came off as pretty tasteless after that TED presentation IMO.

[michetox]

I agree... that Rolex must be around $20.000 yet they talk about people living with $1 a day

[sirachman]

Id rather help the 3rd world with their problems so that they can advance economically to the point where they can afford Rolex. But you would rather them not exist since they are a capitalist company. Funny thing is, this video as well as the presentation of Josh Silver wouldn't exist if it were not for the donated profits of Rolex and others which come from that very thing you hate. Capitalism.

[meotaku2]

Well I have been to a third world country and they have Rolexs for 25 dollars. I admit mine does not work now but if you have poor eyesight you cannot see it anyway.

[michetox]

I never said I hated capitalism... actually I don't. At all.

I just agreed with the first comment on finding the scene somewhat ironic.

Besides, capitalism has nothing to do with consumerism.

I still can't see the fundamental difference between a $20.000 watch and a $200 one, only that one is made of gold and the other one of stainless steel.

Cheers.

[hughtub]

The difference between a $20k watch and a $200 one is that one deprives a fool of $20k, and the other deprives a person of far less money.

[Way2Spirited]

@burn70u7 Yes and I so agree and not to stand up for rolex in anyway but I feel it's only fair to point out that I think Josh Silver was a winner for one of rolex's Awards for Enterprise which gives out funding and grants for people who come up with ideas to help people around the world, in various categories such as cultural preservation, health and medicine and environmental protection. I know what you're saying though and what they give back is just a drop compared to whats been done to EARTH

[Entropy56]

First I think we should take over those corrupt governments and convert them to a free market capitalistic society where they can make their own damn glasses.

[buttersworth13]

Capitalism always fails, we've learned it so many times...

[Entropy56]

Hahah! Good one. You're funny.

[InsideLosAngeles]

And ism fails over time, but capitalism has been the most successful ism.

[buttersworth13]

Umm no it hasn't, there is not one truly capitalistic government/country in the world. And to make a point when our country was as close to capitalistic as it could be, the Great Depression happened. You guys need to learn your history. I bet you don't even know who Adam Smith was.

[nawitus]

Pure capitalism is just as poor as pure communism.

[stratvic]

Freedom is the same as enslavement?

I don't think so.

... how you choose to define capitalism? Free markets or fascism?

[nawitus]

Economy is another dimension from personal liberty.

[stratvic]

The type of economy dictates what type if any personal liberty you have... and by extension the standard of living and measure of liberty you are likely to either enjoy or be deprived of.

Communism delivers meagre issues of both SOL and liberty. Free markets deliver both. With fascism it depends on who you are.

[nawitus]

No, economic freedom is distinct from personal freedom. The standard of living is better in "socialist" scandinavian countries than the developing country called USA. It deprives nothing. "Communism" can mean 1000 different things nowadays, but it's propaganda that it limits freedom. The current communist countries in the world are not real communists, they just use that political ideology to gain power.

[HiccupAttack]

Thankyou for telling these people correct facts.

[stratvic]

Explain how communism is compatible with personal freedom.

Explain how the free market is not compatible with personal freedom.

[VatZeEll]

With a free market you have the right to property and your own ideas and to with them what you please. How are those two things not fundamental parts of personal freedom?

[theaggravator]

"...are not real communists"?

The zombie affects of the Stockholm syndrome on the mind is amazing.

[nawitus]

If you read what Karl Marx wrote, it is self evident that the current communist countries do not follow the principles laid out by Karl Marx. Checking your profile, it's not surprise you're just another brainwashed stupid American.

[LokiClock]

There aren't any socialist Scandinavian countries. There aren't even any socialist Germanic countries. And economic freedom is part of social freedom. A truly free commune is one entered by volition, not by national dominance or place of birth.

[nawitus]

Ofcourse Scandinavian countries are socialistic relative to the USA.

[LokiClock]

You can't say a country is socialist because it's more socialist than another country. Of course the U.K. is an anarchy, look at Nazi Germany!

[hughtub]

Their standard of living is higher because they are Europeans, who have a naturally higher incidence of very high IQ people, who create great value. Socialism just increases the number of people who can live under the umbrella of safety that the geniuses in a nation produce, it doesn't increase the quality of the people. Ultimately, socialist policies that don't prevent the reproduction of lower IQ/unhealthy genetic traits will lead their nations to ruin.

[hughtub]

Pure capitalism is when markets are free, where people's money goes directly towards what they want and ONLY what they want. Communism says that a committee of people who can only use force to prove they are right, decide what is best for people. Communism is INTRINSICALLY elitist, but the elite is maintained by force. Capitalism results in an elite also, but who rise from compensation for production of products/services others highly value, an elite maintained by FREEDOM.

[retepvosnul]

Yes, but what the great thing about capitalism is, is that is is so utterly dumb. It always forgets it past mistakes and happily makes them over and over again. That is why it is so successful.

[theaggravator]

buttersworth13 's parents and teachers failed!

[sandinsx]

now I want a rolex.

and are there photochromic liquids that can be used for that kind of glasses? that'd be cool. I can't live without my transitions

[Entropy56]

I can't decide between getting a Rolex or donating that money to provide hundreds of glasses to needy people. Decisions, decisions...

[nawitus]

How much money have you personally donated? Anyway, this guy's work has done or will do probably much more than what he could have donated. Charity is not that powerful, better technology makes real change.

[Klimpenkens]

Even 20USD extremely cheap.

I wear glasses and they cost ~450USD.

[WhatisaJugallo]

For you, sure. But for someone who has to live off $1 a day $19 is over 2 weeks of saving... probably over 2 weeks without food. What's cheap for someone who wears $450 glasses isn't nessisarily cheap for everyone else.

[Klimpenkens]

I was more speaking comparatively.

[WhatisaJugallo]

And I was speaking realistically.

[lvecsey]

now that you mention it I'll take a Rolex too

[ChrisSketch]

Maybe they could start a program similar to 1 Laptop Per Child? I'd buy a pair of these glasses at three times the current cost if two more went to people who could not afford them. At least until they find a way to bring the cost down.

[bobojr456]

they are not exactly fashionable....and if u try to sell them in developed countries it will likely be crushed by big companies.

[IronLikeALionZion]

you fail to see how this helps people who cannot afford or to pay or see an optometrist, instead of him trying to become rich... you, on the other side, see rather how to be "fashionable" and "stop production! because it will be crushed by big companies in developed countries"... shame on you and on your short sight on global help.

[bobojr456]

u jsut have no understandin of how business works. u live in a fantasy world. be real. making a great invention is only one of many necessary ingredients in the success of a product.

[IronLikeALionZion]

helping people is not a business... your closed mind to global need doesn't let you see beyond your selfishness.

[bobojr456]

there is economics in everything. to ignore it is to doom it to failure from the beginning. theres a reason people like u never really contribute anything to the world. u just talk and fantasise about ur utopian world while other people get out there and figure out realistic ways to helping people out.

[IronLikeALionZion]

Of course there is economics in everything... but the glasses being not "fashionable" and "not going to sell in developed countries" like you selfishly stated, doesn't mean they are not going to be a success to help people. You see, there are people who (unlike yourself) do care about countries under development and are willing to give part of their money to help them with their projects.

[bobojr456]

first of all explain to me how those statements are in any way selfish

second what does them not selling in developed countries have to do with them being given out in undeveloped? why do people have to buy a pair to donate money?

[ChrisSketch]

Its not just about fashion. There is an entire subset of people who would buy these. In particular, those excited about new technology and how it relates to societal improvement. The idea that to make a profit, you have to appeal to the widest audience is just one old economic strategy. Increasingly, thanks to the wide reach of the internet, businesses can be more and more niche oriented and able to make profits (which I agree are important.)

Search for "1,000 True Fans" by Kevin Kelly.

[bobojr456]

the smaller ur niche, the smaller ur market, the less chance ur business will ever get anywhere.

i also find it extremely hard to believe anybody would buy it in the West

[ChrisSketch]

Please read the article I suggested to you before you just tell me I'm wrong. I promise its not long.

[bobojr456]

an interesting theory conveniently missing all the proper mathematical computations instead relying on such assumptions such as "modest expenses". Ironically the article also uses two examples of musicians at the end, one of which actually have yet to cover their capital costs.

Finally, the article makes the idealistic assumption that one's market base will always increase (linear or exponential) and not once mention the consequences and possibility of losing customers.

[segankuz]

I was going to donate a bunch of money for eyewear .. but suddenly I think I'd rather have a Rolex.

[winxniw]

Is he related to that science periodic table of videos guy?

[Shaunt1]

Is he doing this as a businesses or as charity?

[baddmanaz]

too much attention to the product can sometimes cause dress sense to suffer.

[MegazoneEX]

the glsses are an awesome idea.

the Rolex Ad makes me appreciate analong watches..b/c everyone has cellphone and stuff now....We need to cherish these things now , stuff are changing and fast we need to hold on to them :]

[MDSguy]

sweet clark kent look!

[kupu2pagi]

the design might be bad, but it will do for hundreds and thousands of Africans in need.

I don't think developing countries really need this glasses. They got optometrists everywhere

[jamin69]

The Rolex ad at the end was awesome.

[saxquiz]

Maybe he could have explained the glasses. Like how they work for example? I learned more from the title than I did from the actual video.

[NwZ2]

it seems that the video was more about the importance of correcting eye vision problems for a large amount of people, rather than the gimmicks of his device.

[dave4096]

I had glasses like those when I was a kid, except they had a prosthetic nose and mustache enhancement as well.

[LudicrousTachyon]

Wow, those are super nerdy looking. I bet they don't account for astigmatism.

[Northwichita]

Ingenious!

[ellnino]

worst presentation i saw in my life

[altfseven]

were you wearing your glasses? ,, ;-)

[Nagrobek78]

this guy is brilliant

[Kosakowskeeskee]

Aesthetically unpleasing

[666norton420]

i'm pretty sure any frame of a certain thickness will do!

my gf cuts lenses for a living....

gonna show her this when she gets home! ;)

;d

[Ormaaj]

They were a demonstration prototype.

[timg455]

All glasses are aesthetically unpleasing.

[timg455]

You don't need to read to be able to tell if a pair of glasses is better or worse. It's easier, but way harder to manufacture and cost goes up. Cost is what really matters when you want to serve 1 billion, not convenience and fancy adjustments.

[NwZ2]

wooosh goes the point of this video over your head.

[8thfakegod]

I had thought of this idea like 5 years ago, nice to see someone making it visible

[HiAdrian]

I'm disappointed that he didn't explain the mechanism.

[danno1111]

I think it's fairly evident - the fluid is injected between two layers of thin plastic, causing one or both to flex, creating a lens. Adding the liquid increases the lens strength, and the screwdriver seals it so the syringes can be removed and the strength won't change.

[Schneckenzucht]

I'm guessing its rather simple: 2 transparent foils in a frame -> Adding liquid increases pressure, removing decreases it. And what you get are convex and concave adjustable lenses. I'm just guessing though.

[CrashGames2108]

Damn human eyes suck. Genetic engineering, anyone?

[GaddingImp]

it's cheaper to get your prescription and buy glasses online. stores overcharge dramatically.

[ibrahim1088]

5:37

Rolex,

a freaken very expensive watch that most likely wont use cuz almost wherever u look, there's time displayed...

[nekedemus]

looks good.

[anotherelvis]

Where I live the shop sell plastic reading glasses for 4$. I guess that production cost for a pair of such glasses is around 1$.

So instead of spending 19$ on an adjustable pair of glasses it sounds smarter to spend 19$ on creating a box with 19 pairs of glasses with varying strengths. If you give a person 19 pairs of glasses then he can choose the pair he wants.

[Thedreamshaperabc]

1. the cost will go down

2. you would need a large pile of money to buy the other 18 which wont be used (ok so meaby others will get them, alot still wont be)

3. they take up less space

4. it is easier for people to choose these rather than compare 19 different 1 after another. Especially people who cant read and have never seen glasses before

[sleestack808]

yeah, and there are thousands of variations in prescriptions. Not 19.

[sleestack808]

reading glasses are different than regular prescription glasses

[chilenozo]

You forgot to think abaout that is very unlikely, for any human being, that both eyes need the same prescription. Self prescribed liquid glasses are a breaktrough in that sense. It makes:

1.- Reduce the ammount of unused eye-glasses that are never sold.

2.- Can be adjusted to fit both eyes different prescriptions.

3.- If price goes down, as any massive-distribution product, it can not be challenged.

4.- Traditional glasses can still be selled to people that want to look fashionable.

[anotherelvis]

Even if Josh Silver can lower the price, the traditional glasses will still be much cheaper. For a person who earns 1$ a day we are talking about the difference between a days salary and three weeks of salary. I know what I would choose.

[caseygtr]

Great idea, I hope it changes the world :)

[freedomnow2012]

Bottle glasses nice, and when your done with them you can drinkl the juice!  LOL!!

[djzaf]

The guy has a Global Vison for Vision, hmmm good luck

[Sharpshooterjoe]

i was impressed... until he said 19 bucks, then i was really impressed.

[smkymcnugget420]

all the stuff i see here thats cheap and never needs to be replaces will never take off. cuz noone will be able to profit from it. and lets face is our corporate society doesnt do anything that they dont profit off of.

[boxant]

Even if you only sold 1 pair per person, selling a billion would still be rather profitable.

[SpecialKit]

"I've made the glasses to my prescription and... umm.. I've made the glasses to my prescription and... umm... i've made some glasses to my prescription and.... umm..... umm... and I've made a pair of glasses" *applause*

I love this guy, totally respect what he's doing and hope it succeeds, but damn if that didn't make me lol.

[Docthewrench]

EYE glasses are VERY expensive the mark up is near 1000% My wife use to sell the blanks and contact lenses The Blank would go for 4 bucks you buy that blank for your glasses at 400 bucks

[defect530]

Thank you TED

[espadakatsuki]

cool

[flyhead2]

'Brought to you by Rolex'; my cynical sense of humor got the better of me. Interesting piece. I'm moved to believe that this is a decent stop-gap measure and infinately better than nothing, but can't really understand how an inflatable, low-cost lens can really last more than a few weeks at best.

[Magnulus]

If it's made by a moderately flexible but durable material, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to last for quite a long time. Actually, their flexibility might give them MORE durability against some types of damage. Anyway, if you can make a pair of eyeglasses that last for two months in constant use and cost about a dollar to make, that's quite an achievement.

[flyhead2]

Understood, Magnulus, but as one who works in the oil industry, and is well aquainted with hydraulics and seals, I am given to think that if something can leak, it will.

[Magnulus]

That's a good point, actually. Didn't consider leakage. ^_^ However, I also expect idustrial-sized seals and hydraulics will be harder to get completely tight than a small, circular lens that is meant to never move again after initial setting.

Of course, I'm neither in the oil industry nor optometry.

[BaileysBeads]

Just a question. Do you guys think that eventually we can have liquid filled lenses that can be applied directly to your eyes?

[connor646]

ocular implants are being developed for the blind, so its a matter of time really.

[BFDK]

Great "vision" he has :-)

[0101048dm93076543]

Amazing work. Really. I remember when these were still just an "idea" the was being talked about.

[AnimusTheLocke]

I love this idea.