What Are Smart Glasses With AR?
There are a lot of different options out there, but most of them fall into one of three categories. Some are designed to support augmented reality, while others focus on more specific functionality.
Ideal for outdoor sports enthusiasts such as runners and cyclists. Features a variety of performance trackers, HD camera, and a wide selection of AR applications.
Augmented Reality
Smart glasses and visors with AR provide light displays that augment the wearer’s reality. Software can recognize the environment and object, using GPS or SLAM (algorithm-based simultaneous localization and mapping technology), to determine which real-world scenes to overlay with digital 3D images or holograms. Some models also have a camera or other sensors for additional environmental recognition and object identification.
For example, home decor-focused AR apps can recognize items like windows or the corner where two walls come together and automatically generate virtual curtains and potted plants that appear in the user’s field of view to help them decide which room furniture to buy. Similarly, some kitchen and cooking AR apps can offer step-by-step instructions on how to chop vegetables, carve a roast or make sushi.
Other AR apps can provide shopping lists for a trip to the grocery store. The list can be shared with family members, who can then add or subtract items as needed. This way, shoppers can avoid returning to the store for forgotten items or being distracted by impulse buys.
AR can also improve the quality of field service work, allowing more experienced technicians to essentially “watch” their less-experienced colleagues through the device. These veteran techs can deliver schematics and interject when necessary, which helps to reduce mistakes or inefficiency. This type of remote assistance technology also allows for faster training and customer support.
Location-Based Services
Using GPS or other location-tracking technologies, smart glasses with AR can determine their user’s position in space. They can then overlay digital 3D images or holograms over the user’s environment. For example, a pair of Google Glass can display directions to nearby restaurants and landmarks in augmented reality. They can also help workers find a package on a shelf by providing them with a virtual picking list or showing them the most convenient route to a specific item.
Brands can create immersive AR experiences that immerse users in their narratives. Coca-Cola’s “Magic of Christmas” experience, for instance, transports users to a virtual winter wonderland, while The high tech glasses North Face uses AR to help customers navigate in stores. These experiences can also facilitate networking at events by displaying attendees’ information and interests.
Some brands, such as Snapchat’s Spectacles, enable users to share their experiences with friends and followers in real time. A tap on the device records up to 30 seconds of video and a snap can capture up to 10 seconds of still imagery. Other smart glasses can connect to social media and let users send messages or photos to their friends’ devices through a dedicated app. They can also play music or handle calls through built-in speakers and microphones. Most smart glasses have a battery life of three to four hours, although some can last up to nine. When shopping for a pair, look for a model with a rechargeable power supply or portable chargers to keep them charged on the go.
Voice Control
Smart glasses typically come with voice control capabilities, allowing users to interact with AR apps via a microphone or by directly speaking into the device. This can be a helpful way to navigate menus, enter search terms and access information without needing a smartphone nearby high tech glasses or being distracted by a screen. Some devices use directional speakers built into the frames that point down toward your ears, while others use bone-conduction technology to transmit audio through vibrations to your facial bones.
While it’s possible to buy standalone AR glasses that are completely independent from a mobile phone, most options still have to rely on a mobile platform like iOS or Android for processing and software support. This is because most AR systems require a powerful processor, camera and memory to work effectively. Some of the more advanced models, such as Xiaomi’s MiJia H3 AR Glasses, are tethered to a smartphone but feature a low-latency wireless link for an immersive display and high-speed data transmission.
For example, the H3s allow you to stream live sports games from a phone app and display corresponding video content on the AR display, while also recording up to 30 seconds of video or snapping pictures. Similarly, health-conscious consumers can pull up nutritional data on items while grocery shopping without needing to stop to open their phones.
Ease of Use
The ease of use offered by AR smart glasses is a major motivating factor for businesses to start using them. Employees have no trouble using the technology and quickly learn how to make use of the many functions.
For example, ALEGER’s smart glasses feature a camera that records video of the user’s surroundings. This allows the service employee or expert at the headquarters to take on the perspective of the field worker and directly instruct them hands-free. This saves time, avoids unnecessary costs for site visits and increases the quality of work.
In addition, smart glasses offer features like a barcode scanner, integrated chats with translation and live image editing. They also provide an easy connection to a digital knowledge base and allow for the direct transfer of information between employees.
With the launch of the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses, we are seeing more companies enter the consumer market for AR devices. While some have integrated non-optical control components into the headset, others, such as the Google Glasses and the Microsoft HoloLens, rely on a smartphone for processing power.
The lightweight design of the Lenovo headset and its ergonomic features help to ensure the device is comfortable to wear. This is especially important for users who are required to use the glasses during long periods of time, such as warehouse workers and doctors.