Smart Glasses

Current Models and Features

Snap Spectacles

• Simple and stylish.
• Record 10 seconds of circular video at a time
• Videos can be shared to social media platforms such as SnapChat or Twitter
• Relatively cheap in comparison with other smart glasses, selling at $130

Vuzix Blade 3000

• Arguably the nicest looking and most comfortable
• Offer a display projected onto the right lens to overlay emails and even YouTube videos in the world around you
• Voice assistant
• Touchpad controls
• 8 hours battery life
• Camera to capture stills and 1080p video
• Bluetooth
• Wifi
• Costs less than $1000

ODG R7/R8 and R9

• 720p lens
• 4MP camera
• Voice recognition
• Wifi
• Bluetooth
• R7 costs $2750, R8 costs $1000 and R9 costs $1800

Vue

• Product of a $2 million Kickstarter campaign
• Doesn’t use Augmented Reality
• Uses bone conduction tech so you can use the glasses instead of headphones
• Touch interface to control music and calls
• Enables you to handle notifications and activity tracking
• Priced at $189

Cast AR

• Camera that scans your surroundings
• Projects images through two micro-projectors installed on the top of the frames
• Priced between $290 and $765

Moverio BT-200

• AR headset enables users to watch HD and 3D contents
• Front facing camera
• Motion sensor
• Built-in Dolby Digital Plus for sound
• GPS
• Compass
• Microphone
• Projectors
• Projects images at 960×540 resolution to transparent glasses
• Not wireless – needs to be connected to an Android device at all times – that’s where it’s computing power comes from
• Lasts up to 6 hours
• Specifications such as 1.2GHz dual core processor and 1GB RAM
• Priced at $699

Meta

• Focuses on what google glass does not do
• Overlays AR on top of your reality
• Allows user to manipulate objects
• Motion tracking
• 3D HD display
• 3D surround sound
• Camera and quality lenses
• Costs vary from $667 – $3650

Researching current models and their features was very useful when it came to thinking about and putting together my own product. I had already thought about the basic principles of a pair of smart glasses but there were some aspects that I forgot about, such as the importance of a long battery life, the amount and/or position of the micro projectors. I decided after researching the existing products out there that I would sketch a rough drawing of the glasses and begin to think about the features that I wanted to include.

Also, from my research I learnt about the audiences to which the smart glasses are aimed at, I realised that the majority of smart glasses are designed for cyclists or for gym purposes. Very few are designed for greater needs, such as helping a person who is less-abled. However, I did come across one pair of glasses that could be adapted to suit the needs of someone with a hearing impairment, these were called GlassUP.

 Draft Mock Up Drawing of Glasses and Features