Glasses turn opaque whenever they see a screen

Screeners are glasses that automatically block the wearer from looking at screens by turning opaque whenever they detect one.

For those looking to cut down on their screen time, but lacking in sufficient willpower, Screeners are a pair of glasses that could help — as long as the wearer doesn’t mind being sightless four or five times a day. The glasses, designed by NYU student Chino Kim, automatically block the wearer from looking at screens by turning opaque whenever they detect one.

Inspired by his own desire for screen-free time, Kim created Screeners as part of a Machine Learning for Artists course. First, a webcam worn on the head processes all of the images the viewer looks at, and sends the information to an open source computer learning software called Wekinator. Then, whenever it detects a screen, it cuts the power to the glasses’ lenses. Because the lenses are made of smart film, the loss of power prompts them to turn opaque, blocking the viewer’s vision until they look away from the screen.

Recently, we saw a hotplate powered by smartphones, which prevents diners from looking at their phones during mealtime. How else could tech be used to help people take a break from their devices?