Augmented Reality Glasses Revolutionize Personal Computing
Meta’s latest innovation, the Orion augmented reality glasses, has left a lasting impression on tech enthusiasts. Unlike bulky virtual reality headsets, the Orion glasses boast a compact and lightweight design, making them a game-changer in the world of personal computing.
CNBC’s Julia Boorstin had the opportunity to try out the Orion glasses at Meta’s annual Connect conference and was struck by their comfort and sleek design. “What really stood out to me was how incredibly lightweight they were,” Boorstin said. “The form factor didn’t feel meaningfully different than wearing a pair of heavy, ordinary glasses, and they were not uncomfortable to wear.”
The Orion glasses are part of Meta’s ambitious plan to create the next generation of personal computing for the metaverse, a virtual 3D space where people can interact with each other online. Although the glasses don’t fully immerse users in virtual worlds, they can overlay digital graphics onto the real world, creating a seamless and natural experience.
Boorstin was impressed by the glasses’ ability to display digital holograms, which appeared as visual icons of apps like Instagram and Facebook, mixed with her real-world surroundings. The glasses use a refractive material called silicon carbide in their lenses, allowing users to see “holograms” in their field of vision. This innovative technology makes the experience feel “totally normal and very natural,” according to Boorstin.
The Orion glasses also come with a wristband that allows users to control the digital icons with hand gestures, similar to an old, lightweight Fitbit. Boorstin was surprised by the accuracy of the wristband, which picked up her finger movements and gestures with ease.
In various demos, the Orion glasses showcased their capabilities, from identifying food ingredients and projecting recipes to playing simple video games and making 3D video calls. The overall experience left Boorstin in awe, and she believes that the technology will only continue to improve in the future. “This is the first generation — four years from now, how much smaller will they be?” she wondered.
By experiencing the Orion glasses, Boorstin gained a deeper understanding of how Meta’s research and development are benefiting the company’s other products, such as its Quest headsets and Ray-Ban smart glasses. “They’ve been working so hard to make these components teeny, tiny, efficient, weightless,” she said.
The Orion glasses are a significant step forward in the world of augmented reality, and their potential applications are vast. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative and practical uses for these revolutionary glasses.
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