Augmented Reality Glasses
Augmented Reality Glasses
Augmented Reality Glasses are wearable computer-capable glasses that add extra information to their surroundings by overlaying digital images and animations.
A good pair of AR glasses is one that doesn’t feel out of place, and is easy to use and comfortable to wear. Thankfully, there are plenty of options out there.
1. Vuzix Blade
The Vuzix Blade is a pair of AR smart glasses that offer a hands-free connection between the digital world and real life. They’re designed for frontline workers, customer-facing staff and anyone else who needs to access data and remote expertise without having to take their phone out of their pocket or use a headset.
These glasses are powered by an Android operating system with a Qualcomm processor, and come with an 8MP camera that shoots high-resolution photos and video. They also have a microSD card slot, which gives users the capacity to store a lot of data and other information on the go.
Voice control is available for a wide range of commands. You can ask Alexa to call someone, ask for directions or tell her your next appointment and she’ll respond accordingly. You can also use her to send messages and get notifications on your mobile device.
One of the things that really sets the Vuzix Blade apart from other smart glasses is Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant. It’s available on the glasses when you connect them to a WiFi network, but you must log into Amazon via your smartphone using the companion app.
You can also control your smart glasses with a touch panel on the right frame. It’s easy to navigate through the menus with one tap and two finger swipes.
The glasses support a number of apps, including Google Maps for directions. You can also use them with an augmented reality application to view information overlayed on the real world, such as restaurant menus or maps of construction sites.
It’s possible to add other AR applications through the companion app, and you can even change the display size for a more immersive experience. The screen is a bit low-resolution ar eyewear compared to some other AR smart glasses, but it’s still pretty sharp and clear.
The Vuzix Blade is a great option for those who want to leverage the power of augmented reality but don’t have the budget or patience for a full-on HoloLens device. They’re also a good choice for users who aren’t comfortable wearing headsets or who have trouble with their vision.
2. North Focals
North has long been a name to watch in the world of smart glasses. Its Focals, released last year, were a promising first effort. They were expensive, though, and they weren’t a complete success.
The company has now cut the price of the Focals by nearly half, making them more attainable to many. They’re now $599 without prescription lenses, or $799 with them (though you’ll have to pay $200 extra for prescriptions).
While the price tag is a lot lower, these smart glasses are still pretty heavy. They weigh 68.3 grams, compared to 147 for a plastic Pixel 3a and 267 for a pair of Beats Solo Pro headphones. That might not seem like a big deal, but the difference adds up over time.
Despite the weight, Focals are designed to stay in place and be comfortable. They do this by using an adjustable ring around the nose to keep them in place. They also come with malleable rubber on the stems that you can use to lock them in place behind your ears.
Focals work by projecting light onto a small projector in the right eyepiece, allowing you to see notifications, maps, and more. They require a special fit for your face, so you’ll need to visit one of North’s showrooms in Toronto or Brooklyn for a 3D scan.
The process is a little tedious, but it’s a worthwhile one. It’s part of what makes Focals stand out from the competition, which has been mostly characterized by bulky and awkward frames.
In addition to these showrooms, North has a mobile pop-up shop that lets you try on Focals and get fitted for them before you buy. There’s also a Showroom app for iOS devices that allows you to take your own measurements and upload a prescription.
The price drop is a welcome one for Focals. It might not be enough to attract the masses, but it’s a big win for those who are serious about getting smart glasses. Hopefully, they’ll continue to develop and improve their technology and software, so that future versions have even broader appeal.
3. nReal Air
The Nreal Air smart glasses from ar eyewear are a novel way to view Augmented Reality (AR) content. Instead of having a built-in camera to capture images, they use a USB-C charging cable to connect with a compatible smartphone or computer.
In addition, they’re light and come with three sizes of nose pads for a ar eyewear comfortable fit. However, the lack of a camera also means that the Air isn’t as private as some other types of AR glasses.
When you first pair the nReal Air with your phone, the Nreal Nebula app will guide you through the process of activating and updating the hardware. Once you’ve done that, you can plug in a USB-C cable and enjoy using them with Android smartphones.
One downside to using the Nreal Air with a compatible device is that it draws power from that device, which can be a problem if you’re in the middle of a firefight or other high-intensity activity. Nreal says that the adapter can last for up to three hours on a full charge, but you’ll need to keep a USB-C charger handy in case of a power outage or the battery dies.
On the other hand, the Nreal Air’s micro OLED screens produce some impressive color and clarity. The color black looks transparent, for example, when it’s projected over your surroundings, while bright colors appear almost solid.
The nReal Air’s main selling point, though, is that it gives you an immersive cinema experience on the go. Just plug it into a compatible smartphone, and you’ll be able to view Netflix, Xbox Game Pass or any other content on a virtual screen that enlarges your phone’s display.
There’s a downside to this, though: the Nreal Air isn’t compatible with many of the most popular smartphones. While that’s unfortunate, it’s not a big deal as you can still use the glasses with other devices and apps without any issue.
Overall, the nReal Air is a nice novelty product that’s far removed from the mainstream, but its shortcomings make it a bit hard to recommend at this point. If you’re an early adopter, the nReal Air might be worth considering, but if you’re looking for something more versatile, I’d suggest checking out other options.
4. Tooz
The tooz by ar eyewear is a pair of glasses that combines the best of augmented reality and eyewear. The glasses feature a small display inside the right arm of the frame, which beams content into your eyes directly through glass optics that look like a pair of prescription glasses.
Currently, Tooz is working with partners to create real-world pairs of smart glasses using this technology. It can be incorporated into a wide variety of lenses and frame designs, with the goal of eventually selling them to consumers.
At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, I got a glimpse of what Tooz is up to in the AR space, and it’s pretty impressive. The glasses are a little larger than regular eyewear to accommodate the battery, speaker, and tiny screen. But they’re light enough to wear all day, and the tech works with a wide range of lens options, from colored lenses to sunglasses.
The Tooz is not a final product, it’s a DevKit that can be incorporated into any frame design and paired with a wide range of sensors to create an entirely new kind of experience. It can support touch controls, gesture controls, button controls, cameras, no cameras, augmented reality, 5G, no cellular connectivity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more.
Tooz also claims to have the most innovative optics for augmented reality, which is no easy task given that they’re creating the technology from scratch. Their innovations include curved waveguides and invisible combiners that can be sandwiched into a vision correction layer.
They also have a few other technologies to their credit, including a unique trifold lens that allows you to fold it up and put it away in a small compartment within the frame. This is a big deal because it means you can use them anywhere you want without taking up too much room.
Tooz was founded in 2018 as a joint venture by German optical systems manufacturer Zeiss and Deutsche Telekom. After Zeiss took over the company, they made it a part of their augmented and virtual reality competence center.
