We are always talking about how Virtrual reality has gained traction enough in the entertainment business, and also in movie production to be considered now a reality that it is quite ready to have a permanent foothold in our lives.
However, we must consider Augmented Reality as a secondary technological process that it is in a quite early stage of development but has gained enough examples to be referenced and to take in consideration.
What do we have to know?
We all have seen the demonstrations of the Google Glass and its capabilities of integrating technology equivalent of a smartphone directly into the frame of a pair of glasses that it is quite elegant and functioning at the same time.
Augmented Reality is gaining an even bigger presence due to smartphones, and mostly because of the popularity of the technology in the terms of using marketing, to display information and other possible applications that makes it quite practical to integrate it as more than a simple visual gimmick.
Also the accompaniment of the augmented reality technology is of the smart glasses, in a considerable way they have more potential than a smartphone to integrate technology directly to ourselves without too much obtrusion by having to look directly to a Smartphone all the time, the information could be displayed directly into the glasses and feedback of information and recording video can actually be made seamlessly by gestures or simply commands that this my glasses can also receive.
In this article, we are going to show you the best glasses in production right now that are a clear demonstration that AR technology is here to stay and to have a very specific influence on the way that we receive information in an almost invisible and seamless form.
1. Vuzix Blade
The leading example of the integration of current Augmented Reality technology, with an elegant design and seamless technology that allows the user to have a plain sight an array of systems and controls that put him into the leaders of the market in developing fully functional Smart Glasses. Vuzix is the company that is really making a full transition to the development and implementation in a commercial application of a complete set of AR smart glasses, we can consider the Vuzix Blade currently as the definitive form of an AR SmartGlass, but also as well a proper idea of where the technology can go once it is massively consumed in enough quantities to generate a quite impactful result on the way that we can perceive information on our daily lives transmitted directly to a pair of glasses.
Additionally, one of the advantages that the Vuzix Blade has is the implementation of an application store to gradually increase the functionality of the glasses, allowing this system to have additional functions that can really take augmented reality smart glasses to new horizons off future compatibility.
For example, the integration with Alexa and also the utilization of some games and applications like Yelp, can really make these smart glasses something very interesting to take into consideration, not limiting the abilities of this device only to simply giving information about specific things.
Costing $1000, they are the most expensive smart glasses right now, but are the most commercially available, easy to acquire in places like Amazon, and with significant discounts up to $200, these glasses are becoming more and more tempting for people who really want to try this technology on a considerable way in a daily lives.
2. Vue Glasses
These are AR prepared prescription glasses, these are the kind of glasses that can really make the difference with having a technology prepared AR system completely invisible to other people, their design is made on purpose to be practical but at the same time unobtrusive of the systems that are embedded within the frame.
These glasses cannot be considered AR in a complete sense but play with the concept that technology can be integrated within glass frames to generate another kind of experience that derivates from the process of augmented reality.
These are glasses that are designed to listen to music and receive calls through bone conduction technology, different from any headphone, the sound is directly received by the user through vibration which gives a clear sound without interference.
Also, as well they serve as a complement of a smartphone, by notifying messages and tracking health activity and movement. In other words, these are glasses that are more similar to an smart watch, but more seamless in the integration, the goal in this case is to show that there is an interest for having AR similar devices with almost the same capabilities, except for screens or controlled by gestures.
But at the same time can allow the user to receive notifications in a manner that is non perceivable directly by other people in a meeting or in a more socially discreet environment.
3. Solos glasses
These glasses by their design and form that speak in a very specific language, they are designed to take advantage of one of the principle functionalities that augmented reality can give to the users, the ability of overcoming the difficulties of direction on navigation when an smart phone is not as easily useable or accessible during action activities.
The Solos can really take advantage of the functionalities of a smartphone when does not have enough service to cover the necessities of the user. Mostly these glasses are focused on the idea that are on navigation screen directly in your face, by integrating apps dedicated to fitness and navigation, they serve as a companion for cyclists who want an amount of information of where they going, their health stats and also to provide information in real time that can be used as a real feedback process between these small glasses directly to the user.
These glasses have been approved by the United States cycling team, after a series of arduous tests where a considerable number of professional cyclists were used to prove the abilities of the Solos in real condition of demanding use. The results were so promising that approve them because of their practicality a response time that can really help cyclist to obtain information in a precise manner.
At $500 are a very good deal to obtain an important device that can demonstrate the potential of AR technology that can be useful specially if you are cyclist who wants a navigational system completely operated hands-free.
4. North Focals
North Focals, are the best example of how an AR SmartGlass could be integrated with design an elegance to create a product that is quite interesting in its functionality and accessibility to more advanced technology.
The case of the Focals deviate essentially of systems like the Vue, because they are specific to a pair of glasses that are data focused on the idea of integrating one of the most widespread used digital assistants on the planet, which is Amazon´s Alexa.
With a very competitive price within the range of smart glasses, at $600 utilizes a display system, to receive messages, directions and allows a direct process of connection and interaction with a digital assistant, to receive information or check messages seamlessly.
Another positive aspect of this glasses is that they have a battery life can last up to 18 hours, and can connect to other devices, to extend the possibilities of the glasses is to join in more systems to play music, visualize information all in a very attractive package that combines modern technology with contemporary design.
5. Epson – Moverio BT-300FPV Smart Glasses
If you really want to have the futuristic look, with no compromises, Epson has definitely the smart glasses for you, these are glasses that are mostly focus two systems of drone controls among other activities that the glasses are capable of making.
It has controls for specific models of drones made by DJI, and also as well as gesture controls that allows to capture the movements of the head as a process of integrating the drone systems into the glasses, making a true experience of augmented reality by integration of technologies.
Also as well these glasses have an OLED display on a 5 megapixel camera, that it is front facing towards the user, additionally these glasses are powered by an Intel processor and it works by the operating system Android.
In other words, it is one of the most advanced AR glasses in the market, and with a price of $700.00 makes it somewhat in the middle term of advanced features and capabilities of more advanced models, but still is closer in its functionalities to a small computer given that has a separated computing module that must be carried by the user. It is not as portable as any of the other models but that does not reduce its capabilities.
Glasses correct our view to see better, AR smart glasses have the potential to see more that we have thought before.
