via Instagram (@minwookpaeng)Science & Tech / NewsScience & Tech / NewsIs this ‘third eye’ the future for our smartphone-addicted selves?A South Korean designer wants a generation of ‘smartphone zombies’ to rethink their behaviour with this wearable techShareLink copied ✔️June 8, 2021June 8, 2021Text Felicity Martin If you’ve ever had an unfortunate collision with a lamppost while scrolling Instagram, industrial designer Minwook Paeng has the solution for you: a giant, robotic eyeball that you can strap to your head. Paeng developed the ‘third eye’ device for a generation of ‘smartphone zombies’ to browse the internet on the go, injury-free. ”This is the look of future mankind with three eyes,” the 28-year-old postgraduate in innovation design engineering at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College, told Reuters. The wearable eye uses sensors to measure the oblique angle of the user’s neck, and the distance between the eye and any obstacles. But it isn’t exactly the most fashionable accessory, looking like a cross between a headlamp and a webcam strapped to your forehead. Demonstrating the device in Seoul, Paeng found that passersby weren’t so sure about the new technology’s look, but agreed there might be some benefit. ”I thought he looked like an alien with an eye on his forehead,” one resident, Lee Ok-jo, said. “These days many young people can get into accidents while using their mobile phone. This would be good for them.” “It is so cool and interesting,” added 23-year-old Shin Jae-ik. “We can easily bump into each other on the street while using smartphones. I may not need it now, but I’d like to buy it when they sell it later.” But Paeng said the ‘third eye’ was meant as a warning, an “ironic or critical design,” rather than a real invention. “By presenting this satirical solution, I hope people would recognise the severity of their gadget addiction and look back at themselves,” he said. Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.TrendingAnd Love Comes in at the Eye: Passionate portraits from Tom Wood’s archiveThe beloved photographer’s latest book brings together shots of amorous late-night encounters in the nightclubs of Merseyside in the 1980sArt & PhotographyFashionThese photos capture clandestine moments at iconic fashion showsGraffFashionGraff is entering its golden era NothingMusicNothing launches ‘Club Nothing’ nightlife series with a global fundBeauty10 of the hottest Instagram accounts fusing art, sex and eroticaLife & CultureWhy the smartest person you know is watching Love IslandLife & Culture‘I choked him out’: Readers share their wildest holiday confessionsLife & CultureIs this the most corrupt World Cup ever?Film & TVRosebush Pruning, an eat-the-rich satire that makes Saltburn look tameEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy