GOOGLE is showing off a a pair of prototype glasses that let you see virtual information overlaid on top of the real world.
The hi-tech specs aren’t available to the public just yet – but they could be a direct rival to Meta‘s own line-up of smart glasses.
Google‘s augmented reality AI specs are built in partnership with wearables company Magic Leap.
They reportedly weigh less than 50 grams, and feature built-in display technology.
This will let you see things that aren’t there, like virtual information or objects, without blocking your view of the world around you.
“Magic Leap’s optics, display systems, and hardware expertise have been essential to advancing our Android XR glasses concepts to life,” said Google’s Shahram Izadi, VP / GM.
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“We’re fortunate to collaborate with a team whose years of hands-on AR development uniquely set them up to help shape what comes next.”
Google paved the way for augmented reality smart glasses back in 2013 and 2014 with its Google Glass spectacles.
But the hi-tech glasses ultimately didn’t catch on, and the company shifted its efforts to smartphones.
However, Magic Leap says that we’re now at a “turning point” for AR glasses.
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“Magic Leap’s evolution, from pioneering AR to becoming an ecosystem partner, represents the next phase of our vision, said Magic Leap chief Ross Rosenberg.
“We’re drawing on years of innovation to help our partners advance AR technology and create glasses that are practical and powerful for everyday use by millions of people.”
The company says that Google’s specs will balance “visual quality, comfort, and manufacturability”.
They’ll combine Magic Leap’s optical hardware with Google’s Raxium microLED light engine to create a display system that can be worn “all-day”.
And the company is promising “stable, crisp, and clear” visuals.
There’s already a prototype model that Google is showing off.
“What makes this prototype stand out is how natural it feels to look through,” said Izadi.
“Magic Leap’s precision in optics and waveguide design gives the display a level of clarity and stability that’s rare in AR today.
“That consistency is what makes it possible to seamlessly blend physical and digital vision, so users’ eyes stay relaxed and the experience feels comfortable.”
SPEC SAVIOURS?
Google is facing stiff competition on the smart glasses front.
Its biggest rival right now is Meta, which has been producing smart specs for several years.
The Facebook owner teamed up with eyewear giant Ray-Ban – and more recently Oakley – to create glasses with built-in cameras.
Newer versions have AI built into the glasses so that you can ask questions about what you’re seeing.
And in September, company boss Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the brand new Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses.
These were the first in the range to feature a built-in display, which acts as a heads-up display for the right lens.
It allows you to follow maps directions, watch Instagram Reels, send and receive WhatsApp texts, and even make video calls.
Google and Meta aren’t the only companies working on smart glasses.
Earlier this month, Amazon showed off a pair of Smart Delivery Glasses.
The gadget is aimed at its own delivery drivers rather than the general public.
They feature a built-in camera and display, and only switch on once the delivery van has stopped.
The driver can then use the glasses to locate and scan the correct packages, receive walking instructions to the drop-off point, and even take a photo as proof of delivery.
These glasses will also alert drivers to hazards like a dog at a property, and warn them if they’ve dropped the package off at the wrong house.
ARE SMART GLASSES THE FUTURE?
Here’s the quick view from The Sun’s tech editor Sean Keach…
Are smart glasses going to take over the world? Well, maybe.
The idea of us all pottering around with computers strapped to our faces might seem far-fetched.
But there was a time when the idea of an iPhone, an iPad, and an electric car sounded mad too.
What works in favour of smart glasses is that the smartphone has a big problem.
The digital world is vast. Truly enormous. Arguably infinite.
But it is entirely squeezed through the tiny display on your smartphone, which does it an injustice.
With mixed reality devices, there’s not really a limit to the size and scale of the digital world you can view. Want to watch a 100-inch TV? Just summon one for free.
Of course, the main problem is that the technology is still in its infancy.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are the best example of smart glasses right now.
But they also cost close the better part of a grand, don’t fully replace your smartphone, and have middling visuals compared to your mobile.
The opposite end of the spectrum is a big mixed reality headset like the Apple Vision Pro.
It delivers stunning visuals, but it’s enormously expensive at £3,199 / $3,499 and bulky – a far cry from the sort of eyeglasses you’d want to wear all day, everyday.
At some point, the two worlds will collide and you’ll have a fairly thrifty pair of smart glasses that look like regular specs, and deliver beautiful imagery and replace the functionality of your mobile.
But we’re still a long way off a device like that launching to the public and going mainstream.
So if you’re due a phone upgrade, don’t hold out for smart specs instead.
There’ll be a bit of a wait.
Picture Credit: Sean Keach
Apple is reportedly working on its own pair of smart glasses, though it hasn’t revealed anything publicly.
The company has now launched two different versions of its Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset, which lets you see virtual objects on top of the real world.
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But the iPhone maker is expected to launch a pair of smart glasses that look more like spectacles in the next few years.
However, Apple is highly secretive so details are thin on the ground – and the company has also scrapped major projects after significant investment in the past, so smart specs aren’t guaranteed.
