Smart Glasses
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Smart Glasses
Smartglasses are glasses that display curated information similar to updates you may receive on your phone such as messages, directions, weather updates etc. alongside functioning as glasses improving your vision.
Over the last few years Smartglasses have been getting a lot smarter with augmented reality [AR] glasses accelerating towards the mass market with Microsoft, Sony, Facebook, Snapchat, Amazon and Apple all designing technologically advanced eyewear.
The latest rumours in smart glass technology are from Apple and with the first Apple Watch in 2015 and the first AirPods in December 2016 being such successful launches - the internet is understandably excited. Apple’s Industrial Design team had triumphed over the engineers with these products due to their wearability, functionality and chic-design - we hope to expect the same level of care with their odyssey into the eyewear market.
YouTuber, Jon Prosser, who has posted accurate Apple leaks before, detailed the Apple Glass prototypes he has seen are sharp, innovative plastic frames that complement the Apple Watch and AirPods in their iconic design.
Will you be waiting in line for them? If so, here is a brief rundown of what smart glasses are and what they do...
What do smart glasses do?
Smart glasses offer a range of functions and each brand will make their eyewear slightly differently. However, most have the same base components such as a central processing unit (CPU), this is what allows the glasses to provide all the tech functions separating the product from your everyday classic glasses.
When we first think of smart glasses I think the feature we all imagine is the projector which is usually located across the lens of the eyeglasses. This projection method is called ‘curved-mirror’ or ‘curved-mirror-combiner’ and it offers a partially transparent digital display where the wearer can see their chosen information and notifications without obscuring the real-world view. This allows for a fully immersive experience within a pair of glasses allowing the smartglasses to act in place of a smartphone, tablet or computer. Some manufacturers offer an alternative version to this method called ‘waveguide holographic optics’ - this works as a digital overlay of text and images within the field of view unlocking the full smart glasses experience.
Then you have the camera functionality. The camera lens can appear in a variety of places but most of the time they are at the temple or eye line of the wearer to provide a real-time perspective for any images or videos.
Another feature is that some eyeglasses provide sound with the speaker for wireless audio inputs and phone reception resting at the end of each ear. This allows the user to seamlessly listen to music, calls or notifications. Alongside this is the microphone for which allows you to have phone calls, perform hands-free voice searches and set reminders.
How do smart glasses work?
There are a variety of ways these features can be activated but some of the most common ways smartglasses can be controlled by touching, tapping or swiping the built-in controls or speaking aloud outlining your requests as you would with Siri or Alexa.
Some other pioneering alternative activations are gesture recognition of head, eye and hand movements such as nodding, looking up, looking down or shaking your head. Other brands are developing eye-tracking and wearable gadgets such as rings.
How can you improve your smart glasses wearability and longevity?
We’d recommend contacting us to chat over potential lens coatings options which will protect your lenses and transforming the plastic lenses into stronger, more durable, glasses.
At Pret a Voir we offer coatings with WLC such as the WLC Bluemax Ultra, this coating helps reduce eye fatigue associated with screen and mobile device usage and Pristine by WLC which is an enhanced coating with superior clarity and scratch resistance. Another option is with a brand called Hoya who has created the latest generation in lens coating which makes the lens surface easier to keep clean and much more resistant to scratches. And with Zeiss lenses, we can offer Zeiss Blue Protect which increases the hardness of your lens making the eyewear more reliable. This option also includes an anti-reflective and anti-static coating which keeps your glasses cleaner and reduces the residual reflections that can interfere with the wearer’s vision.
We don’t currently carry any smart glass models but are eagerly watching the developments!
If we can help with any of your questions about coatings or care for your eyewear then please leave us a comment, contact us at hello@pretavoir.co.uk or call us on 0141 552 5065.
If we can help with any of your questions about coatings or care for your eyewear then please leave us a comment, contact us at hello@pretavoir.co.uk or call us on 0141 552 5065.
Au Revoir,
PRET A VOIR
PRET A VOIR
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