Smart glass camera iris will improve quality of mobile photography

Researchers from Germany’s University of Kaiserslautern have created a smart glass “iris” that works in the same way as the human eye, according to GizMag. The essence of smart glass lies in its ability to change its functions depending on the variability of the surrounding conditions. In this case the chemical iris of concentric circles becomes opaque when low electric current is applied. The researchers believe that this technology may bring much greater image quality.

“There is currently no technological solution available that meets all the demands of integrated iris apertures in smartphones,” said lead author of the research Tobias Deutschmann. He states that the new technology will allow cameras to get smaller and more compact and will reduce the amount of energy consumed.

It hasn’t entered the commercial production just yet — the scientists need to solve the issue of reaction time as smart glass iris is not, in its current state, able to open or close as quickly as its mechanical counterpart. Just a reminder, last week Apple filed a patent on the camera with artificial muscles which will replace traditional motors.