A contact lens that zooms in the blink of an eye: the idea is absolutely in the realm of science fiction, but scientists at the University of California San Diego just made it real.

The contacts works by generating electro-oculographic signals when our eyes make specific movements. The biomimetic lenses then respond directly to the electric impulses, changing focal lengths. Blinking twice would trigger a pulse that would cause the eyepieces to zoom.

Biomimetic materials are human-made objects that mimic natural materials, while Electrooculography is a method that is used to observe and record eye movements.

Researchers believe that innovation can be used in practical applications like "prostheses, adaptable glasses, and remotely operated robotics in the future." As long as you can blink, the lens can still zoom as it depends on the electricity created by the movement.

Human eyes
Deepfake videos could be detected by observing eye movements. Pictured, a woman looking at the Facebook website on a computer. REUTERS/Michael Dalder

The new contraption is still on its first set oof trials, and researchers keen on the project believe that it can even be improved in the future. Now imagine a future that would allow you to zoom vision without the need of smartphones or cameras, it would totally be awesome!

In 2015, a team led by Eric Tremblay at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne developed a similar device. His lenses are slightly bigger than regular contacts and it lets objects appear 2.8 times larger than the average.

His endeavor was aimed for people that are suffering from macular degeneration, a debilitating condition that affects millions of people in the world. Tremblay's version works by refracting light through mirrors embedded in the lenses.

His prototype can also be toggled by blinking, his earlier version was cumbersome and wasn't comfortable to wear. It can only be utilized for a limited time, defeating its original purpose.