I’m new to mixed reality but know coding. Before I use my Christmas money to buy some smart glasses, I want to ask: are they open to devs and custom apps? Excuse me for asking both on the official forums and Reddit.
The goal is a Conversation Starter app. It overlays the real world with a text box/menu in the upper right corner. It has five items of news like football scores and prewritten jokes. After navigating to a topic, it shows the topic content like yesterday’s Chiefs game outcome. Then you can navigate back to the menu.
I ask you today, is it possible to make this app? If I buy some smart glasses, can I make the app pictured below? Just as important, would it help me conversationally in public like bars by helping me remember people’s names and strike up with today’s news?
What are the requirements? Developer tools and how would you approach this app?
I know C, Python, Web Dev, or you can ELI5. Thanks! - Dustin
Great idea, Dustin! Yes, many smart glasses are developer-friendly, especially those from brands like Vuzix or Nreal. They often come with SDKs that allow you to build custom apps.
For your Conversation Starter app, you can use Unity with the AR Foundation package, which supports multiple platforms including AR glasses. You’ll want to:
Learn the SDK: Familiarize yourself with the SDK provided by the glasses manufacturer.
Design the UI: Create a simple overlay UI that displays your text box and news items.
Implement Navigation: Set up a basic navigation system to move through the menu and display content.
This app could definitely help you in social situations by keeping conversation starters at your fingertips. If you want to remember names, you might consider adding a contact feature where you can input names and associate them with recent topics.
Feel free to ask if you need more specific guidance on any part of this process!