According to AR shipments of smartglasses will hit 1 billion around 2020, surpassing shipments of mobile phones by 2025. And there are plenty of options coming to market with an array of features. From first-person videos and photos as moments unfold, to turn-by-turn directions, and facial recognition of the people you meet, the invasion of the smartglasses is coming and the first examples are already landing.
We don our future-specs to reveal the best smartglasses on the market and the ones we believe have the potential to take connected specs...
Sony SmartEyeGlass
Sony has released the essential tools to allow developers to start coding applications for its Google Glass rival, the SmartEyeGlass. The software for creating apps was released in September 2014, and the Japanese company hopes to have hardware available by March 2015.It’s been a long road, with the eyewear first shown off at CES 2014. SmartEyeGlass includes an array of features, including a gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient light sensor and built-in camera. However, the monochrome screen is likely to put off consumers, if Sony chooses to release it beyond the business world.
Sony SmartEyeGlass Attach
But you don't actually need to stick a full Sony headset on your bounce; the Attach accessory was unveiled at CES 2015 and will work with any regular specs. Sony SmartEyeGlass Attach features of a 0.23-inch OLED single lens microdisplay, with a 640 x 400 resolution and a control board which contains an ARM processor, sensor hub, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity.The display module is just 40g, and there's a 400mAh battery to power the whole thing. Sadly, it's just a concept at this point and there's no indication from Sony as to how much it might cost.
Microsoft HoloLens
Part Google Glass, part Oculus Rift, part helmet from RoboCop, Microsoft HoloLens is "the future of computing", according the company that knows a thing or two about computing. The HoloLens headset is actually a computer itself, with its own CPU and GPU on board (and a HPU too for good measure) - no extra wires or processing power is needed.Tapping into the Windows 10 universal app ecosystem, developers are being encouraged to create experiences containing "holograms" for the real world. Microsoft has demoed its vision of a Holographic future, with videos depicting a range of experiences; from work based tasks to gaming - maybe this is the first hint of the much rumoured Xbox One headset?
Jins Meme
Tokyo based Jins demoed its Meme smartglasses over in Vegas at CES 2015. This smart eyewear has more in common with the likes of Jawbone and Lumo than some of its rivals in this roundup though. The Jins Meme specs don't provide an AR experience for their wearers; they use bio-sensing tech to detect changes in a wearer's eye and body movements to track and alert on safety, health and fitness.They can track tiredness and alert drivers who may be about to nod off. EOG electrodes built into the frames and in the nose pads can detect blinks and eye movement in eight directions, and the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors along the earpiece monitor body axis and walking pattern to improve posture.
ODG R-6S Smart Glasses
ODG's self-contained, Android-running, smartglasses are designed for Government and enterprise, and pack a 3D stereoscopic see-through HD display and stereo sound. These Qualcomm Snapdragon powered specs are due to land in mid-2015 and while the price is still to be confirmed, we know they won't come cheap. Orders for the regular R-6 specs (with a few less sensors on board) are open for a whopping $4,946.The good news is a consumer version is planned for this year as well, with the company aiming for a price below $1,000.
LaForge Optical Icis
Taking Apple’s successful design mantra ‘less is more’ and adding more visual detritus than Times Square on Thanksgiving, Icis clutters your peripheral vision with innumerable icons, notifications and menu options.All the tech is tucked inside a pair of chunky Buddy Holly-esque frames, which are unashamed bold – possibly too much for most facial shapes. The angled, over-sized frames make these smartglasses a fashion statement, but one that comes packing a healthy tech spec sheet. A single wireless NFC charge affords six hours of battery life, while the ‘bold’ edition adds a 5MP camera and HD video recording to the mix.
Meta Pro
This unapologetically high-end pair of "space glasses" projects gesture-manipulable 3D content across a wide 40-degree field of view, and a view its makers claim is 15x the screen area of Google Glass. They are packed with cutting-edge tech, from the dual 820p ZEISS displays and 3D surround sound audio to the mighty Intel Core i5-based computer with 128GB SSD that powers the device from your pocket.This level of computing oomph gives Meta’s claims a fair bit more credence than those of its peers, though its insane price tag is likely to limit appeal to all but the most determined Iron Man hopefuls.
Optinvent Ora-1
The Ora-1 features two modes to suit the content or app being used — AR, which projects an image in a 24-degree field of view (equating to a 84-inch screen hovering four metres in front of you), or Glance, which offers a more Glass-style peripheral experience.It’s unlikely to win any style awards, but packs a dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex processor, a 5MP camera, Full HD 1080p video recording and in-built Wi-Fi and GPS. It offers up to eight hours of battery life and runs on Android 4.2.2. There are mounting points for prescription lenses, though the current design lacks an in-built speaker, so you’ll need headphones for audio.
Recon Jet
Designed for cyclists, these sporty looking specs wouldn't look out-of-place on the Tour De France, and are designed to deliver the kind of data Team Sky riders would kill for. Combining a 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, HD camera, gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer, altimeter, thermometer and GPS receiver, the Jet delivers detailed ride statistics directly to your eyes. Connect Jet to up to eight ANT+ or Bluetooth peripherals (such as heart rate monitors, power meters and cadence sensors) and you’ll get a full report on how your body’s doing, too.The removable battery is a big plus for long rides, though no prescription capability makes contact lenses a must.
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