Smart glasses: what they are, how they work and what types exist
Smart glasses are the next big thing in wearable smart technology. They offer the chance to bring smartphone technology right to our eyes and ears. In 2013 Google released the first smart glasses. Google Glass Explorer turned out to be a commercial failure, but since then several other companies have released their own versions of the device. Every month this field becomes more and more interesting.
Essentially, smart glasses are wearable computer glasses that can perform various functions. Some overlay information in the field of view, as in augmented reality. Others allow you to answer calls and listen to music. The device aims to provide wireless connection of smartphones and similar devices directly to your face or head.
Smart glasses can have touch controls or leave the user's hands completely free. With them you can reply to messages, take photos and videos, interact with apps and use GPS navigation. They have uses in many areas, including logistics, healthcare and construction.
What smart glasses are made of
For smart glasses to offer functions similar to smartphones and other devices, they must be easy to control, have several sensors and provide visual and audio output. The device has several functional parts worth looking at more closely.
Audio capabilities
The device can make it possible to answer calls or watch videos. These and many other functions require sound output. Instead of speakers, some glasses deliver sound directly to the ear through bone conduction rather than through the air. The method transmits vibrations from the frame of the glasses through the skull to the ear, bypassing the eardrum.
Microphone
Most such devices are equipped with a small microphone that can record your voice and surrounding sounds. This is necessary for glasses with voice control, calling functions or recording video with sound.
Computer processor
Like any computer, smart glasses need a central processor. It is usually located in one part of the frame, so it must be small. The processor for glasses is the same as in smartphones, for example the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1.
Interface
This is how a person controls their smart glasses. Common controls such as a touchscreen or computer mouse are not suitable in this case. The device can be controlled using one or more of the following:
- buttons
- speech recognition
- gesture recognition
- eye tracking
- remote control (via smartphone)
Lenses
As with regular glasses, many smart glasses can be fitted with different types of lenses: for poor vision, with a blue light filter for computer work, or "smart" lenses that automatically darken depending on ambient light conditions.
Camera
Google Glass Explorer was criticized because it constantly recorded people around it, creating a serious legal and ethical problem for any smart glasses. The camera is used for video capture and analysis through the glasses (which is why AR is possible). Some newer smart glasses have no camera.
Display
This part of smart glasses development has always been the most difficult. There are two types of displays for the device: curved mirror and waveguide. The first display works by projecting an image onto a curved mirror, which reflects light directly into the user's eye. The problem is that such glasses are bulkier and the image is less sharp.
A waveguide display works by "bending" the projected light in front of your eyes to show the field of view (including three-dimensional augmented reality objects). Light passes through a semi-transparent piece of plastic or glass designed to reflect light along the material. It is reflected through the waveguide to the part in front of the eye, and then projects the image directly onto the eye.
What smart glasses exist
Dozens of smart glasses are in development or already on sale. None of them are perfect, and some are very expensive. However, the technology is developing quickly, so there are several interesting devices worth attention.
Amazon Echo Frames
Amazon Echo smart glasses do not have augmented reality technology, so they provide no visual display. Instead, the glasses come with four directional speakers and a microphone so you can listen to music, control Alexa Home or make calls.
Vuzix Blade
These are real AR glasses, providing a full waveguide image over the right eye. Thanks to an 8-megapixel camera and voice control, the glasses let users take photos, play various games and watch streaming services.
Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2
The first update of Google's glasses. A new processor, AR and VR, an 8-megapixel camera and gigabytes of memory are the main improvements to the smart glasses. With the device, users can study work instructions or send photos and videos. The developers' goal is computer vision and augmented reality.
Ray-Ban Stories
Smart glasses from Facebook and Ray-Ban are the latest novelty in the industry. They have two 5-megapixel cameras for taking photos or videos, feature voice control, let you listen to music and podcasts, and take calls. The glasses come in 20 design options so everyone can choose the ideal model.
Smart glasses have come a long way since Google's first attempt. Currently there are dozens of manufacturers, and the technology is developing at a crazy pace. New waveguide displays in development offer better resolution, field of view and clarity than ever before, and the future of AR is becoming more and more exciting. Who knows what it will bring us in the next few years.
