Tag: augmented reality glasses

Microsoft sets sights on augmented reality glasses

| November 28, 2012

 

Microsoft Augmented RealityMicrosoft patents documents augmented reality glasses project

Microsoft has been showing a great deal of interest in augmented reality lately. The technology company appears to be ready to take its interest to the next level, according to a patent filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patent filing from Microsoft documents plans for the development of a pair of augmented reality glasses, very similar to those being developed by Google. Microsoft believes that its glasses will be more than capable of competing with Google’s Project Glass.

AR system could be used for entertainment

The patent covers “a system and method to present a user wearing a head-mounted display with supplemental information when viewing a live event.” Essentially, the augmented reality glasses will be able to provide digital information concerning whatever is being viewed, allowing users to browse this content through a variety of contextual displays. The system has immediate implications for entertainment, as Microsoft is expected to leverage augmented reality technology in gaming and video. Augmented reality glasses could be used for much more than that, however.

Augmented reality shows potential in mobile commerce

Augmented reality has gained significant traction in marketing because of its interactive capabilities. Consumers have responded well to campaigns that make use of the technology in the past, leading to growing demand for the technology today. This interest is beginning to bleed into the realm of mobile commerce, where augmented reality technology could be used to make shopping more engaging and interactive.

Microsoft aims to compete with Google and others

Google has managed to generate a large amount of hype around the prospects of augmented reality glasses with Project Glass. Microsoft aims to overcome the challenge presented by Project Glass with it own augmented reality glasses. Whether the company will succeed in its endeavor has yet to be seen, but Microsoft is not alone in its interest of augmented reality. Sony is also planning to develop a pair of augmented reality glasses that could have a wide range of uses from entertainment to mobile commerce.

 

Vuzix augmented reality eyewear set to compete with Google

| November 16, 2012

 

Augmented Reality GlassesVuzix may be able to compete with Google’s Project Glass

The hype surrounding augmented reality glasses has diminished somewhat, but that does not mean that these products have disappeared. Google is still hard at work on Project Glass, and may soon be confronted by a promising competitor known as Vuzix. Vuzix is an ambitious and successful technology company that has set its sights on augmented reality eyewear. The company plans to release its M100 Smart Glasses in the coming years, which may have major implications for the way people live their lives.

Vuzix may revive hype surrounding augmented reality glasses

Google first drew attention to the idea of augmented reality eyewear with Project Glass. The technology company billed Project Glass as a new way to stay connected to social networks, find information on products and events through dynamic digital displays, and experience a wide range of digital content. The scope of Project Glass has proven somewhat ambitious for Google, leading the company to pull back its expectations concerning augmented reality. But Vuzix is on course to introduce many of the features that may be absent with Project Glass in the future.

M100 Smart Glasses designed to use applications of its own

The M100 Smart Glasses from Vuzix are designed to be an “intelligent hands-free display for smart phones.” Essentially, the eyewear will act as a display for a smart phone, enhancing a user’s view of the world with a wide variety of digital displays. These displays can be customized to suit the needs of the wearer. The augmented reality eyewear can make use of its own applications in a similar way that smart phones use applications, adding further customization options.

Augmented reality may have a future in mobile commerce

Though the M100 Smart Glasses lack NFC technology, they could establish a strong foothold in the realm of mobile commerce. Augmented reality has already proven popular amongst mobile shoppers, and the glasses from Vuzix may also be able to meet the needs of these consumers in a dynamic way. Time will tell how the new product could be used in mobile commerce, but the possibility for this is certainly there.