At the Google I/O, the company announced this new and fascinating technology.
At the annual conference for developers held by Google in San Francisco, Epson took the opportunity to show off its new augmented reality technology which allowed users to use the devices, hands free.
This technology has been 15 years in the making and avoids having to touch the device or speak.
Google Glass has its own augmented reality glasses that can be controlled using a voice or swiping a finger against the side of the eyepiece. The Epson glasses, on the other hand use APX Labs enhanced smart technology. They are called the Moverio BT-100 and allow the user to navigate options simply by tilting his or her head.
These augmented reality glasses have already been available for purchase for more than a year.
A primary difference between these two types of augmented reality glasses is that while the Moverio BT-100 is focused on selling to developers and for commercial uses for computing hands free, Google Glass has the consumer in mind.
The Moverio augmented reality glasses currently sell for approximately $700 and use a pair of transparent lenses to provide the wearer with a three dimensional experience that is projected on top of the view of the real world. The Epson product manager of new markets, Eric Mizufuka, has stated that the view through these glasses gives the appearance of viewing an 80 inch “floating” display.
The augmented reality glasses have Wi-Fi connectivity onboard. They are also wired to a mini touchpad based on Android which allows content such as Angry Birds to be added by way of a microSD card slot. However, the Moverio glasses didn’t have motion sensors such as a front facing camera, limiting their functionality.
It was for this reason that the BT-100 was updated by APX Labs using a 5 megapixel camera, motion sensors such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer, as well as a microphone. These additions to the augmented reality glasses from Epson are contained within a white box that is positioned above the lenses of the high tech eyewear.
