Android By Russell Holly Feb. 25, 2014 7:28 am
Sony’s wearable tech gained some much needed definition at MWC this week, but it’s still clearly an unfinished concept.
There are a number of companies currently chasing the dream of getting users to wear computers on their face for extended periods of time. Google is one of the first to make their project both publicly known and actually practical to wear all day, so there have been several attempts to follow suit with designs that are more stylish or more featureful. Sony’s SmartEyeglasses is neither of those things, but it does allow for binocular vision that Google Glass does not which means the potential for augmented reality services are much higher.
SmartEyeglasses are tethered to a control puck, similar to what we’ve seen with Epson and their Moverio line. Unlike Epson, Sony’s design also requires an Android device to connect to for information. Bluetooth and WiFi connections allow for data to be displayed on the lenses, but only in green and so far only in text. There’s a camera on the lenses that you can use to take photos, but there were no features surrounding that included in the video.
There are clearly a lot of things that need to be improved here. For example, making the user rely on a control puck which always occupies one hand is a big ask, especially if you also want them to walk around in public. On top of the awkward, clumsy frame and green text layout, you don’t even get to enjoy your photos after you have taken them… unless you are looking at them on something else.
Ultimately there’s some real work that needs to happen before this is a solid idea, but Sony clearly has all of the right parts in play.
More...
There are a number of companies currently chasing the dream of getting users to wear computers on their face for extended periods of time. Google is one of the first to make their project both publicly known and actually practical to wear all day, so there have been several attempts to follow suit with designs that are more stylish or more featureful. Sony’s SmartEyeglasses is neither of those things, but it does allow for binocular vision that Google Glass does not which means the potential for augmented reality services are much higher.
SmartEyeglasses are tethered to a control puck, similar to what we’ve seen with Epson and their Moverio line. Unlike Epson, Sony’s design also requires an Android device to connect to for information. Bluetooth and WiFi connections allow for data to be displayed on the lenses, but only in green and so far only in text. There’s a camera on the lenses that you can use to take photos, but there were no features surrounding that included in the video.
There are clearly a lot of things that need to be improved here. For example, making the user rely on a control puck which always occupies one hand is a big ask, especially if you also want them to walk around in public. On top of the awkward, clumsy frame and green text layout, you don’t even get to enjoy your photos after you have taken them… unless you are looking at them on something else.
Ultimately there’s some real work that needs to happen before this is a solid idea, but Sony clearly has all of the right parts in play.
More...
