This eye-tracking contact lens is either brilliant or horrifying

Eye-tracking has become more of a norm since Apple integrated it into the iPhone as part of Face ID unlocking, but now it could get even more accurate.

A deep-tech company, called Xpanceo, has developed a new type of contact lens that makes eye-tracking smarter. This, crucially, aids in passive tracking for greater accuracy and lower power consumption all in one.

Yes, this might not be as exciting as self-driving cars and quantum battery tech, but it could be more relevant for many people right now.

The breakthrough means that current devices, like phones and laptops, can be enhanced using existing camera systems, all thanks to the contact lens. That means better eye-tracking while using less processing and battery power.

In fact, this could help in making early diagnosis for conditions including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Having medical grade tracking in personal devices, combined with these lenses, could make tracking possible longer term and from any location.

Sure, the idea of machines seeing us more easily and in more detail can be scary but, realistically, this can be a very good thing. The 0.3-degree precision without the need for medical hardware could be a health benefit at large.

The lens itself works by using two thin gratings to create interference patterns that shift as the eye rotates. These moiré patterns, as they're called, shift allowing cameras to detect movement at a very small scale.

Xpanceo: when will it be available?

Xpanceo has published its research findings in Advanced Functional Materials. When that will translate to real world use or availability remains to be seen.