Smart contact lens maker's new way to shop for groceries

The days of paper shopping lists are nearing an end, and it might not be smartphones that do them in. Smart contact lenses sound like science fiction, but Amazon has partnered with a company to use them to augment the experience of something not particularly science fictiony: grocery shopping.

Mojo Vision has developed a potential consumer implementation of Alexa Shopping List on its Mojo Lens prototype. It was the first major third-party consumer application on a smart contact lens. The test integration shows how Mojo Vision could integrate the Alexa voice AI with Mojo Lens’ unique and powerful eye-based interface.

In the test integration, a user can ask Alexa to add items to an Alexa Shopping List before or during a trip to the store. The Alexa Shopping List feature would appear as one of the applications on Mojo Lens, and the user can access their list in their frame of view, while walking down store aisles. Using just their eyes, the shopper can naturally read and scroll through the list, effortlessly checking off items as they add them to their shopping cart. If another household member adds items to Alexa Shopping List, the list immediately updates on Mojo Lens, ensuring that no items are missed before checking out.

“Alexa Shopping List is a powerful example of how Mojo Lens can be a platform for a range of useful eyes-up, hands-free consumer applications and experiences,” said Mike Wiemer, vice president of engineering, CTO and co-founder of Mojo Vision. “With Alexa, Amazon is fundamentally improving the way people interact with technology by using voice. Mojo Vision sees a similar opportunity, but with our eyes. Vision plays an integral role in how we perceive and interact with the world, and Mojo Lens will help people quickly access information in a way that doesn't distract from the world around them.”

Mojo Vision is making significant progress in developing its smart contact lens technology, and the company continues to research and identify new potential for this groundbreaking solution. The Alexa Shopping List test integration shows how Mojo Vision’s eyes-up, hands-free technology could work with Amazon’s Alexa voice AI and Alexa Shopping List feature. The use case envisions an experience in which someone can access their shopping list at the grocery or other retail store without distraction, easily checking things off hands-free and making sure they don’t forget any items.

“At Amazon, we believe experiences can be made better with technology that is always there when you need it, yet you never have to think about it,” said Ramya Reguramalingam, GM, Alexa Shopping List. “We’re excited that Mojo Vision’s Invisible Computing for Mojo Lens, paired with the demonstration of Alexa Shopping List as a use case, is showing the art of what’s possible for hands-free, discreet smart shopping experiences.”