Smart glasses might not have made much of a dent in the wearables market, but the odds are that they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Here’s what you need to know about them, including the arguments for and against their use
Smart glasses have been around for some time now, but as the technology becomes more refined and some of the world’s biggest players in tech get in on the action, it begs the question: is there a solid future for these space-age specs?
Before we answer this, let’s try to understand exactly what these are and look at the products that got us to where we are today.
What are smart glasses?
As the name suggests, smart glasses are glasses that combine some kind of technology. They may, for example, have built-in cameras, displays, audio, Bluetooth connectivity, or augmented reality (AR) capabilities, and they usually operate by connecting wirelessly to an app on another smart device, such as a phone or tablet.
Just as smartphones blend technology with a telephone, and smart watches combine technology with a wristwatch, smart glasses bring together technology with a pair of spectacles. They have been around in one form or another for decades; eyewear brand Oakley, for example, claims to have been working on the technology since 1997 and has filed over 600 patents.
However, because the technology existed only behind closed doors, it has never been something that the general consumer could enjoy – until now.
In recent years, this technology has become relatively affordable, sparking the beginning of a new era of modern smart glasses that look like they’re set to quickly become commonplace.
Examples of smart glasses
There are many types of smart glasses that offer different features, so perhaps the most helpful way to understand the format as a whole is to examine the most popular models. To keep things relevant to imaging, however, we will only examine those that have built-in camera technology.
Google Glass
Google Glass was the product that started the current wave of modern smart glasses. Launched in 2013 to great excitement, Google Glass glasses featured a mini display, a camera, and a touchpad, which allowed you to connect with your smartphone to browse websites, take photos, post to social media platforms, and even get directions. Voice commands also meant that much of this could be carried out hands-free.
Google Glass was, however, less of a launch and more of an experiment. The tech was only available to selected developers via the Google Glass Explorer Program and, if you were lucky enough to be selected, the product cost a lofty $1,500. The Glass Explorer Edition was essentially a prototype and the launch was a way to test it in the real world, gathering feedback and improving the technology.
Both the Google Glass Explorer Program and the product were discontinued in 2020. These smart glasses do, however, live on for commercial clients as Google Glass Enterprise Edition, with the aim of helping businesses operate more efficiently.
There are no known plans to bring Google Glass back to general consumers, but we would be surprised if Google didn’t break into this market as the technology gains popularity.
Ray-Ban Stories
With a very public pivot towards the metaverse, and a proven history in VR headsets, it was only a matter of time before the freshly rebranded Meta made its presence known in the smart glasses market.
In 2021, it joined forces with iconic eyewear brand Ray-Ban to produce the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses, which feature dual 5MP cameras, touch control, and built-in speakers.
One of the biggest issues with smart glasses – particularly Google Glass – has been that, while technologically capable, they simply haven’t looked very good. Understandably, this is problematic in the context of wearable tech. Ray-Ban Stories, on the other hand, sit at the opposite end of the spectrum.
While they undoubtedly look great, they are a little light on features – somewhat surprising considering Meta’s pedigree in the VR headset space.
Snap Spectacles
If Google Glass was more about substance and Ray-Ban Stories more about style, Spectacles from social media company Snap Inc. attempts to find a balance between the two.
The currently available third generation of Snap’s Spectacles offers similar capabilities to Ray-Ban Stories, with dual cameras, audio, and touch controls. However, there is also a fourth generation of Spectacles, which feature dual displays that promise to open up a whole new world of AR possibilities.
They are not currently available to buy, however. Snap is only making them available to AR creators through an online application process, the idea being to properly test their capabilities and develop the effects that can be used with them.
But the fact Snap is not exactly keeping these new glasses a secret is likely a sign that Spectacles 4 will be available to consumers at some point in the not-too-distant future.
Vuzix BLADE
When it comes to consumer-ready AR smart glasses, a leading provider in the field is Vuzix and its BLADE 2 glasses. Vuzix has been around for some time creating smart glasses for commercial enterprises to streamline workflows for front-line workers, but BLADE 2 is a more compact version designed for general consumers.
The BLADE 2 glasses are equipped with an 8MP camera, which can take pictures and stream video, while a transparent screen that sits in the center of the wearer’s field of vision makes AR a real possibility. The glasses are controlled using a touchpad, but also respond to voice commands that work with Amazon’s Alexa technology for the most responsive operation.
Xiaomi Mijia Glasses
The Mijia Smart Glasses, which were recently announced by Chinese tech company Xiaomi, illustrate just how quickly smart-glasses technology is advancing.
In addition to an in-view display, AR functions, and real-time translations, the Mijia Glasses also feature a 50MP built-in camera with a 15x hybrid zoom.
It sounds impressive, although the snag is that these glasses are not yet available to consumers – and it is unclear whether they will ever become available outside China.
Apple Glasses
Very little is known about Apple’s smart glasses offering, but the company’s rumored forays into the category indicate just how mainstream smart glasses may become.
Furthermore, considering the company’s reputation for quality, style, and usability, Apple Glasses arguably have the best shot of striking a balance where others have struggled.
Just as the Apple Watch helped to transform the smartwatch from something out of James Bond into a fashionable part of everyday life, we would expect Apple’s influence to help smart glasses become the norm sooner than you might expect.
The case for smart glasses
The list of potential benefits smart glasses could bring is endless.
AR and point-of-view cameras alone have countless positive applications, both in personal and professional life – so when combined with voice controls and built-in audio, it’s impossible to list them all.
Here are some of the main areas in which they can make a positive contribution.
Entertainment
The breadth of possibilities smart glasses create for entertainment through their AR capabilities is difficult to overstate.
The most obvious of these is gaming. AR games are nothing new, but the accessibility of smart glasses could bring them further into the mainstream, from something as simple as office-desk-whack-a-mole on your lunch break to highly complex platform games in real-life settings.
However, the potential for fun doesn’t stop there. Imagine the possibilities for digital art exhibitions, visually enhanced theater shows, immersive AR movies, or experiential marketing such as interactive restaurant menus or billboard posters.
Safety and security
Smart glasses could also help to increase personal security. At the most basic level, the ability to film an experience in the first person so quickly and easily has the potential to discourage threatening behavior through the Hawthorne Effect.
Furthermore, with the help of AR and facial recognition software, it could be possible to check the credentials of a professional such as a tradesman, cold caller, or police officer before allowing them into your home.
AR could even help to keep you secure in everyday life by providing contextual warnings and safety information. This could range from an alert telling you to ‘mind the step’ right through to more serious warnings about entering restricted or unsafe areas where there is a danger of death.
Communication
There is no doubt that smart glasses could aid communication. Built-in microphones and speakers make it possible to send and receive calls completely hands-free. The same could be true for checking emails and messages, which could be displayed directly in your field of view.
The frame-mounted cameras on smart glasses could also play a big part here. Not only would they make it easier than ever to share photos and videos on social media, but they also open up the possibility to send a live point-of-view (POV) feed of whatever you’re doing. This makes remote supervision, assessment, and collaboration much easier and more effective.
Documentation
Whether it is to record a cycling trip to share with friends, have a skill or activity assessed, or document a situation for legal protection, the ability to instantly record images and videos from the point of view of the photographer without having to hold on to a camera has many advantages.
Convenience
While mobile phones are small enough to fit in your pocket and smartwatches can fit on your wrist, both require a certain level of engagement and physical interaction that can be impossible in certain situations.
Having everything you need in a lightweight and comfortable package that is always in place and is accessible without any physical effort offers a game-changing level of convenience.
The case against smart glasses
While there are many obvious benefits of smart glasses, they are a controversial technology that has attracted plenty of criticism. Bars and other venues even banned Google Glass devices from their premises before they were released.
Below we have outlined some of the most popular arguments against the rollout of the technology.
Privacy
Unsurprisingly, the biggest concern around smart glasses concerns privacy.
With cameras and microphones built into their frames, smart glasses can quickly and easily be used to record people in situations without their knowledge or consent.
Many believe the use of these recording devices could facilitate the illegal collection of biometric and behavioral data, and, in the worst case, could lead to the creation of a surveillance state.
Referring again to the Hawthorne Effect, the knowledge alone that these recording functions could be used may seriously affect freedom of expression, stifling social interaction, discouraging debate, and leading to a reduction in open and effective communication.
Health and safety
The fact that smart glasses are so convenient and easy to use without hands could also be seen as a negative.
The distraction of in-vision displays could lead to a rise in accidents – and when combined with a potential reduction in peripheral vision caused by the often chunky frames required to house the tech, there is real potential for increased injuries and even deaths.
There are also questions on the long-term health risks from prolonged exposure to non-ionizing radiation. While guidelines from the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) ensure that smart devices only emit safe levels of radiation, some believe that there is simply not yet enough evidence to be completely sure – especially considering the devices’ close proximity to the brain.
Security
In the same way that smart glasses could help to increase security, they may also do the opposite.
It is highly possible that this technology could bring an end to anonymity which, while in some cases is a great asset, in others is a frightening prospect.
For example, this technology could help government agencies to safeguard the streets against potential threats – but it could also make it easier for oppressive regimes to track down those seeking political asylum.
With this in mind, it’s certainly a technology that needs to be closely monitored, particularly from the point of view of cyber security. If smart glasses are easily hacked, there could be huge implications for security on both a personal and national level.
Copyright infringement
There are also concerns over copyright infringement. With such high-resolution cameras mounted so discreetly on a person’s face, it would be much easier for fraudsters to record ticketed shows and events undetected.
Obvious targets would be movies, stage shows, comedy acts, and musical performances. The same could also be true for still images – for example, artwork or limited-edition photographic prints displayed in exclusive exhibitions.
Conclusion
The possibilities that smart glasses present are undoubtedly exciting, but the technology is something of a double-edged sword that has the potential to cause damage to both individuals and society as a whole.
The biggest problem with technology like this is that the rate at which it develops is far quicker than the rate at which authorities and governments can pass laws to ensure it is properly regulated. By the time they do, it is often too late.
With this in mind, smart glasses technology needs to be handled with great care to ensure it is used responsibly and, ultimately, for good. If we manage to do this, these devices stand a chance of revolutionizing how we live our lives.
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