High Tech Glasses
When smart technology is incorporated into an everyday item, such as eyeglasses, the result can be a game-changer. These high tech glasses offer a variety of features such as heads-up displays, digital assistance, voice search, music playback and more.
From healthcare to retail, industries are embracing these glasses that are transforming the way we do things. Imagine trying on virtual clothes in a virtual fitting room before making a purchase online or using AR to view live sporting events.
1. Self-focusing lenses
High tech glasses integrate advanced display technology, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and even health monitoring features into an eyeglass-like frame. Some models can also incorporate prescription lenses and have touch pads or gesture recognition for hands-free computing. Others offer built-in microphones, voice command, and wireless connectivity. They can be used for work, play, or education, as well as for home automation and health management.
One company, Deep Optics, has developed a prototype pair of glasses with liquid-crystal lenses that can constantly refocus. The lenses are flexible and stretch as transparent pistons move inside, making them more convex when the user looks closer and more concave when looking further away. This technology may be particularly useful for people with presbyopia, who struggle to see objects at arm’s length. It could also help make virtual reality less disorienting.
However, it’s still too early to know if these high tech glasses will be practical for everyday use. The lenses need to be slimmer and lighter, and the electronics need to be smaller and more compact. Mastrangelo notes that the current prototypes are high tech glasses large, heavy, and have thick stems and frames. He hopes to shrink everything down and add a system for tracking the user’s eye movements, which would allow the glasses to automatically adjust their focus. If successful, these smart glasses could be on store shelves in two years.
2. Smart glasses
While the initial smart glasses were more like what movie spies wear to remotely start their luxury sports cars or scan people’s credentials, today’s high tech eyewear is far more streamlined and affordable. Stylish models like the Jins MEME, Meta Ray-Ban and WISEUP offer features including answering calls, controlling smart devices, recording videos, taking photos and integrating with social media. Some also blend fashion and function with different frame designs and interchangeable lenses.
The heart of most pairs is a micro-projector and prism that offers partially transparent digital displays without obscuring the real world view. A tiny speaker and microphone pair with the projector to communicate with the wearer, who interacts via a touchpad or voice activation. Some models include a battery, which powers the display and the sensors.
In addition to the convenience of hands-free audio and visual information, some models incorporate technology that allows the user to filter brightness based on the ambient light level. This feature can reduce the impact of bright sunlight on the eyes and may make sunglasses unnecessary for outdoor enthusiasts.
While the smart glasses’ functionality continues to evolve, widespread consumer adoption remains a long way off. However, forward-thinking businesses are embracing the tech for workplace applications. For example, Acty software enables factory workers to receive real-time inventory and order updates while keeping their hands free for dangerous jobs.
3. AR glasses
With augmented reality (AR) glasses, you can view digital content on a virtual display that overlays on the real world. These devices are already revolutionizing a number of industries. For example, healthcare applications enable surgeons to view critical patient data without taking their hands off the operating table. Meanwhile, retail is seeing shoppers trying on clothes and accessories virtually, reducing returns and dissatisfaction. Education is another sector that’s benefitting from AR, with students interacting with 3D models of the solar system and human anatomy, enhancing learning beyond textbooks or static displays.
The newest smart AR glasses are ultraportable and lightweight. Choose a pair with a built-in OS or connect them to your phone or laptop for an expanded personal workspace that ar eyewear you can take anywhere. Whether it’s a private virtual monitor at home, a collaborative schematic on the factory floor, or an immersive VR experience, there’s a headset that’s perfect for your needs.
Meta offers a range of stylish frames with discreet built-in cameras, processors, and battery modules. They also offer a wide range of apps to customize your experience, and the lenses are scratch-resistant for long-term wear. Engo, on the other hand, is a favorite of outdoor athletes and cyclists with its sporty AR glasses that project real-time metrics like heart rate and power onto an AMOLED microdisplay planted into photochromic lenses.
4. VR glasses
Modern high tech glasses have more than just heads-up displays; they are portable, wearable computers. They can use AR technology to overlay digital content over the real world, transforming the way you interact with your environment. Some models even incorporate touch pads, voice commands and gesture recognition to enhance their functionality.
Some of the best models feature stereoscopic displays, two separate displays for each eye that work together to create a 3D super-image in your field of view. This is the core of virtual reality.
The most advanced pair of VR glasses, the Xreal Air (formerly called Nebula), project a private 130-inch theater screen six meters in front of you and run a full AR operating system on a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 platform. They deliver the brightest and most vibrant picture, although they don’t quite have the multitasking chops of our top performer, Rokid Max AR glasses.
Despite the fact that these are more like a headset, they still fit right in your line of sight and can be used comfortably for everyday tasks. This includes streaming videos, social media and web browsing on a small personal theater-sized screen. They can also be used to give you step-by-step directions while walking or biking, and they can connect with your smartphone to stream translations, captions and calendar reminders.
Another option is Snap Spectacles, a pair of sunglasses that have been designed to provide an affordable entry point into VR. These aren’t as immersive or functional as other high-end VR devices, but they can be used to access a limited selection of VR content, including various videos and games.
