The next level of personal tech for users to enjoy should be smart glasses. Are these glasses going to replace our smartphones? Let’s find out.
Glasses that offer various technological advancements are on the rise. As tech companies learn to incorporate small microchips into glasses to allow users to have desired information in their field of vision at all times, these glasses might replace smartphones or be a fantastic complement to the phones we depend on during our lives. Let’s take a deeper dive and learn about smart glasses to understand if they are ready to be mainstream products.
Not all are created equal
As you would expect, not all glasses with integrated technology are the same. Some companies are offering products that are simply an accessory to your smartphone but require your phone to be present or nearby to be useful. Still, others have shown up in places like the Consumer Electronics Show, which is held in Las Vegas every year, showing incredible capability to work with various forms of programming and AI tech.
Since these glasses have various levels of functionality, Fred Simard suggests six levels of functionality to differentiate them. These levels are:
- Level 0 – glasses as a phone accessory
- Level 1 – gateway to AI and fashion statement
- Level 2 – Head-Up Display
- Level 3 – Virtual screen
- Level 4 – AR stations
- Level 5 – VR/AR/MR headsets
As you can see, the various levels of functionality require different successions of technological integration into the glasses to work properly. Let’s explore each level and what the smart glasses are capable of doing for you.
Level 0
Calling this level smart is a bit of a stretch, but the glasses offer more functionality than you would have without them. Instead of pointing your phone at something you want to take a picture of, you can easily capture the image by simply pressing a button on the glasses. This level is basically a generic set of Bluetooth glasses with a microphone and open-ear speakers that serve as a hands-free phone accessory for taking calls and pictures. These glasses can be great when you want to capture images and videos, but there are privacy concerns, especially when people abuse this capability.
Level 1
Now we’re getting smart. These models don’t have a display, but they allow you to utilize voice-operated AI functionality and assistance. There are two main brands operating at this level those are: Ray-Ban Stories and Amazon Echo Frame. The glasses have integrated cameras and AI interfaces and are made to look great while also adding a higher degree of technological functionality compared to the lower level. There are multiple frame and style options, making it easy to find the look you want and enjoy the integrated tech features.
Level 2
This level uses waveguide display to present you with a head-up display in your field of vision while wearing these smart glasses. This means you have visual information overlayed on the realty that you see in front of you. Some models can be worn as everyday glasses, giving you the desired functionality, The screen can be turned off, which gives you an advantage over other types of tech-based glasses. The screen size typically ranges from very small to tiny, which makes it hard to use these glasses for too much information.
Level 3
Using a high-resolution screen and a prism to redirect light coming from the top of the glasses, this level gives you a virtual screen for viewing videos and playing games without a larger screen. The glasses rely on a companion system to run applications, making it easy to enjoy gaming without a large screen if you want to use them with your gaming console. You can connect them to anything with an HDMI or display port and enjoy the functionality.
Level 4
At this level, the smart glasses become an AR station and provide you with an augmented reality experience. The virtual field is anchored in your field of vision, which is excellent. This makes it much easier to play video games with these glasses than the Level 3 models. Currently, there’s only one brand and type of Level 4 glasses, but they allow you to interact with the reality created, making it fun to enjoy the experience while wearing them.
Level 5
Glasses that can provide a VR/AR/MR experience make it much easier to enjoy the experience than other levels. Some people might enjoy using these glasses instead of a headset, but that’s a personal choice. Level 5 glasses are bulky and packed with tech, which means they won’t be easy to wear in public every day but can give you the immersive experience you want when at home.
Smart glasses allow you to remain aware of your surroundings while using them, unlike VR headsets. Will you become a user of a pair of smart glasses? If so, which level do you think you’ll utilize?
