GDC isn’t just about gaming: virtual reality has dominated the show, and wearables startup Meta has brought along its latest Meta Pro prototype for its first proper public outing. Promising … Continue reading
A Look At Lumus, The Amazing Lens Technology That Is Going To Change Wearables
Posted in: Today's ChiliYou may not know the name Lumus now, but expect to be hearing a lot from them in the future. When we first met the Lumus rep Ari Grobman two years ago he showed us some amazing technology. It was basically an augmented reality display embedded into a standard lens that could fit into a standard pair of glasses. The 720p model displayed a binocular image at near HD quality right in front of your… Read More
Lumus has brought its DK-40 wearable to CES 2014, showing off the new developer unit in public for the first time. The monocular headset is, like Google’s Glass, an Android-powered … Continue reading
Transparent display specialist and military head-up screen supplier Lumus is wading into the wearable computing market, revealing a new developer kit that, unlike Google’s Glass, offers full augmented reality support. Set to debut at CES 2014 next month, the Lumus DK-40 monocular dev kit may look ostensibly like Glass at first glance, but where Google’s […]
Being an early-adopter is seldom cheap, but is Google having a laugh with its $1,500 Project Glass Explorer Edition? Put up for surprise pre-order at Google IO today – though not expected to ship until early next year – the search giant demands a hefty sum for those wanting to augment their reality early. Cutting edge costs, sure, but there’s the potential for significantly more affordable options that could be here just as soon as Google Glass is.
Google isn’t the only company working on wearables, after all. Back in March, eyeline display specialist Lumus confirmed to us that products using its technology were in the pipeline for 2013, with prices ranging from $200 for more basic models – perhaps just offering media playback – through to $500 for more advanced versions with what we’d think of as true augmented reality.
It’s not the only company working on AR projects, either. We caught up with Vuzix this month to take about its own smart glasses intentions, including the display technology it has been working on with Nokia Research. The company wouldn’t talk specific pricing, but did say that it was aiming more for the mass market and that Project Glass “is not the grail we are seeking.”
Of course, there’s a big difference between a developer kit and a commercial product, and there’s no telling exactly what Glass will do quite yet. Google has been playing its cards close to its chest on that front, only really showing camera use-cases, though we’re also expecting some other functionality like navigation. Still, even if Lumus’ estimates were to double by the time products reach shelves, that’s still a fair chunk less than Google is asking.
So, don’t feel too down-heartened if you’re not at Google IO to preorder a Glass Explorer Edition, or can’t muster the $1,500 Sergey Brin demands. Augmented reality and wearable tech is fast approaching its tipping point, and with that will inevitably come more affordable options.
Are $1,500 Google Glasses a bargain? is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.