ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Designer Creates 'Third Eye' For Smartphone Addicts

Designer Creates 'Third Eye' For Smartphone Addicts

The device can detect when the user is looking at their phone

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

A tech designer has created a 'third eye' to help people who can't stop looking at their phones when they are out and about.

Paeng Min-wook, from South Korea, designed the tongue-in-cheek piece of kit as an answer to modern life.

The mechanical eye is strapped to the person's head, and has motion sensors that can detect when the user's head has been lowered.

When they come within one or two metres of an obstacle, the device sets off an alarm, alerting the person to the imminent danger.

The 28-year-old told Reuters: "This is the look of future mankind with three eyes.

Instagram/@minwookpaeng

"As we cannot take our eyes off from smartphones, the extra eye will be needed in future."

The device uses a gyro sensor to measure the oblique angle of the user's neck and an ultrasonic sensor to determine the distance between the user and another object.

These sensors are connected to an open-source single-board microcontroller and a battery pack.

The engineering postgraduate's demo of the product received some perplexed looks from passers-by.

One Seoul resident believes it's a good idea, though.

Lee Ok-jo said: "I thought he looked like an alien with an eye on his forehead,.

"These days many young people can get into accidents while using their mobile phone.

"This would be good for them."

Paeng hopes that his invention will work as a warning to those among us who are constantly glued to our devices.

He said: "By presenting this satirical solution, I hope people would recognize the severity of their gadget addiction and look back at themselves."

Instagram/@minwookpaeng

But sadly some people can't tear themselves away from their phones, and it can have a damaging impact on relationships with family.

Back in 2018, a second-grader at a school in Louisiana, US, wrote an essay about the hold it has over their mum.

The pupil's teacher then posted a picture of the assignment to Facebook.

Her student wrote the following: "If I had to tell you what invention I don't like I would say that I don't like the phone.

"I don't like the phone because my parent are on their phone every day. A phone is sometimes a really bad habit.

"I hate my mom's phone and I wish she never had one. That is an invention I don't like."

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@minwookpaeng

Topics: World News, South Korea, Mobile Phones, Weird