Using augmented reality, riders can now get a head-up display of real-time information.
It's clear that virtual reality (VR) is paving the future of gaming, with manufacturers like Sony, Oculus, and HTC investing heavily in their respective VR headsets. But when it comes to augmented reality (AR) it seems that developers are taking a different, more practical approach its evolution.
A relative newcomer to the world of AR, a company called Everysight has announced that it will be developing a pair of smart glasses called Raptor. These glasses are built to be able to track a user’s riding data such as distance covered, time taken, speed, inclination etc, and displays these parameters via a heads-up display integrated into the glasses itself. Using their own patented technology called BEAM, the smart glasses shows can show a user map projection overlay to help navigate different terrain, throw up text messages and even capture photo and videos of the ride in high resolution. Equipped with a battery that is claimed to deliver a 6-hour battery life, it can even display the rider’s biometric parameters like body temperature and heart rate.
Unlike most other AR systems, these smart glasses display information further away from the line of sight. As a result, a user’s vision isn't clouded with unnecessary graphics that could potentially be distracting but instead, has the rider rely more on peripheral vision.
For the glasses to work, it will need to be wirelessly connected to the company’s supporting app via Bluetooth. The device can be operated with the app, in addition to hand gestures and voice control to make it easier to interface with when on the road. The company says that the app will be available for iOS and Android platforms.
Augmented reality applications and devices have been gathering momentum of late, with one of the earliest pioneers in the space being Microsoft with their popular HoloLens head-mounted display (HMD). The company turned heads, quite literally, with the AR headset back in January 2015, and is now commercially available to purchase -- in Japan to start.
There have no official announcements regarding the pricing of the Raptor smart glasses, or even when commercial versions are likely to be released. But with rampant development happening across the board in the field of augmented reality, these devices are likely to change the way we interface with the real world.
You can catch a glimpse of Everysight's Raptor smart glasses in the video below:
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