Snap Inc. have released a new generation of glasses. Their latest release is an AR headset that responds to the world around the user. Built for developers, it pushes AR to another level, with a built-in intelligent assistant that helps people to interact with their environment.
AR Adoption is Increasing
AR has been around for a very long time. IKEA Place, for example, uses AR technology to drag and drop pieces of furniture into your living room. This can all be done from a mobile device, with the items being true-to-scale with dynamic lighting. In gaming, Walking Dead: Our World allows people to travel using Google Maps, finding stashes while fighting walkers in a real-time, AR-supported environment. In iGaming, when you play blackjack at Paddy Power, you will notice that a number of the live games also use AR. Free Bets Blackjack, for example, features a live dealer, along with virtual poker chips that can be seen on the screen, with hovering visuals that help you to increase or decrease bets. AR, when used in this way, can greatly contribute to gameplay, without taking the realism away from the experience.
When you look beyond entertainment, it’s clear that AR is becoming a key player in the world of retail and marketing. Retailers are now giving people the chance to try on clothing as well as accessories, which helps users to know what they’re going to look like before they commit to making a full purchase. Not only is this reducing the amount of returns that retailers have to deal with, but it’s also making it easier to streamline the experience.
Event organizers are also taking the time to create AR experiences, to try and make it easier for people to navigate maps, or to find out where they need to go. The fact that Snap Inc. is embracing AR so much just goes to show what a huge part it has in today’s world, and how much potential there is for it in the future.
Augmented Reading Lenses
One standout feature of Snap Inc.’s new AR Spectacles would be the Augmented Reading Lens. This allows the user to read a physical book, with the glasses interpreting the text using OCR and AI. The glasses then generate visuals and soundscapes. Although this is a first for Snap, it gives a glimpse into what we could see in the future from the company, with spatial computing quickly taking off. The most recent release from the company has a 46-degree field of view, which is similar to having a 100” display just a few feet in front of you. Liquid crystal on silicon displays are also used according to Auganix, with waveguide technology used to project the content in front of the user.
One issue that AR spectacles like this have had is sunlight, however. Lighting can affect screens, causing glare and color drainage. Snap Inc. looks to have found a workaround here by including electrochromic tinting. This varies the brightness depending on the ambient lighting, meaning that the glasses can be used indoors and outdoors. This not only broadens the device’s potential, but also helps it to appeal to whole new audiences. With four cameras that track gestures, it’s certainly an exciting release that helps to showcase the potential of AR, while ensuring that major hurdles that were previously an issue are worked around.
The fifth generation of Snap Inc.’s new glasses is only available to developers right now and is being rolled out. With that said, based on previous releases, it’s safe to assume that they will eventually experience a wider rollout. The company is currently pushing forward with its Spectacles Developer Program, with more potential projects in the pipeline.
