Tag: Augmented Reality News

Luxexcel and WaveOptics created consumer smartglasses that combine a 3D-printed prescription lens, a waveguide, and a projector.

But how will they look?

As many glass wearers know, there’s only so much of AR you can enjoy the higher your prescription goes. But Luxexcel, a tech company specializing in 3D printed prescription lenses, and WaveOptics, designer of waveguides and light engines, announced last week the showcase of their AR prescription smartglasses. Glasses integrate three important elements of AR: an encapsulated waveguide, in the curved body of a 3D printed prescription lens, and a projector. With the waveguide being completely flat, the images are fairly high-fidelity-looking, and thanks to the 3D printed structure, the projector offers perfect alignment in an optical module. Knowing that almost 70% of adults today need eyewear, this news will definitely intrigue many. Smartglasses are supposedly compact and robust enough for real-world usage, yet the provided waveguide is thin and lightweight, making it comfortable to wear.

Besides glasses being comfortable, they’ll also look fashionable, so consumers will have a chance to proudly show off their new eyewear. Smartglasses will debut at the SPIE. AR, VR, MR conference on March 18th, 2021, while the prototype samples will be available in Q2 2021.

Source: Luxexcel.com

It took a while for Nreal to find its feet following its impressive debut at CES 2020 back in January. Which is hardly something to hold against the augmented reality startup seeing how even much more experienced companies have been tripping over themselves for the majority of this wild rollercoaster of a year.

Thankfully, the company’s first commercial product, a pair of AR glasses simply called the Light, is now on the verge of releasing in a number of major markets, including the United States. Before coming to North America, however, the headset will debut much closer to Nreal’s HQ in Beijing, China.

As the gadget will first be releasing in South Korea on the 21st of August. The consumer version of the futuristic device will then arrive to the U.S. on the very last day of August, priced at $499. There is also another, enterprise-focused model that’s in the works, though that one will set its corporate owners back $1,200 a piece.

Either way, the Nreal Light looks like a legitimate contender for the title of the most stylish-looking pair of AR glasses (or AR-anything, really) to date. Though its functionality is as dubious as that of any other AR gadget we have seen so far, this thing at the very least looks impeccable. To the point we’d have no trouble believing this was an Apple product if we didn’t know better.

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