When I see commercials, showcases, or reviews of these newer smart glasses, they often highlight features like “play your PS5 on the bus!” or “watch a movie at the beach.” However, I’m more interested in whether any of them offer a “Heads Up Display” (HUD) experience.
For instance, imagine I’m walking somewhere unfamiliar. I’d like to input the address on my phone and have a small window in the corner of the glasses showing me the direction I need to walk, perhaps with arrows guiding me to my destination. Similarly, when driving, instead of using my phone as a GPS screen, the glasses could display turn directions or indicate how far until my next highway exit.
Is this something modern smart glasses can actually do, or is it just a far-fetched idea?
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The Vuzix Ultralite. The waveguide system is very thin and light.
3 to 40 degrees field of view. However Ultralite only has one color.
And will be let go
As someone who has extensively researched AR glasses, I can confidently say that some AR glasses on the market do support a “Heads-Up Display” (HUD) feature. For example, the Rokid Max AR Glasses offer a 360-degree micro-OLED display that can project a private theater-sized screen or virtual workspace over the real world. This allows users to see computer-generated information overlayed on their surroundings, similar to a personal hologram. Additionally, the XReal Air 2 AR Glasses provide a wide field of view and can display a bright and colorful picture, making them suitable for augmented reality applications. However, it is essential to note that these HUD features are limited by the technology available and may not provide the full AR experience users might expect. For instance, they often lack cameras or the ability to analyze surroundings, which means they cannot automatically display information based on what’s around the user. Nevertheless, these AR glasses can still be useful for specific tasks and offer a glimpse into the future of augmented reality.
I had this idea about 8 years ago, but the technology just wasn’t there yet. It might be feasible in the future, but the main challenges are visibility in bright environments, limited computing power in a small headset, and battery life. It would probably be easier to achieve with a helmet instead.