Yesterday, Meta introduced three new models of their smart glasses: the Meta Ray-Ban Display, the successor of the Ray-Ban Meta and the Oakley Meta Vanguard. These glasses are more than just gadgets. They serve as platforms for information, managing data in real time while being worn just like any other pair of glasses.
Smart glasses are no longer something futuristic, they are already being tested and used in a variety of settings. Kim and Choi (2021), for instance, reviewed how these devices are being applied and noted that they can support tasks in healthcare, education and other parts of industry, by giving users hands-free access to information. However, research conducted by Laun et al. (2022) point out that the bigger question is not whether the technology works, but whether people actually want to wear it. Acceptance is largely determined by whether the glasses are comfortable and easy to use. This helps explain why Meta is rolling out different versions of its glasses: some aimed at everyday convenience, others targeting more specialized needs such as professional work or sports.
A key element of Meta’s new devices is gesture-based control. Instead of buttons or touchscreens, users can interact with the glasses through subtle hand or wrist movements. research demonstrates that real-time gesture recognition can make wearable devices more efficient and intuitive, which is essential if smart glasses are to become part of everyday (Lu et al. 2022).
Speaking from personal experience, I can see a clear application in sports. As someone who enjoys road cycling, I often rely on a phone mounted to my bike for speed, distance and my heartrate. While useful, it forces me to look down, which can be distracting and most of all unsafe. Smart glasses that project this information directly in my field of vision would make cycling much safer. If companies can solve issues like battery life but especially weather (rain) resistance, I believe these dev genuinely change how cyclists train.
- Kim, D., & Choi, Y. (2021). Applications of smart glasses in applied sciences: A systematic review. Applied Sciences, 11(11), 4956. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11114956
- Laun, M., Czech, C., Hartmann, U., Terschüren, C., Harth, V., Karamanidis, K., & Friemert, D. (2022). The acceptance of smart glasses used as side-by-side instructions for complex assembly tasks is highly dependent on the device model. International Journal Of Industrial Ergonomics, 90, 103316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2022.103316
- Lu, Z., Cai, S., Chen, B., Liu, Z., Guo, L., & Yao, L. (2022). Wearable real-time gesture recognition scheme based on A-mode ultrasound. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 30, 2623–2629. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.2022.3205026
I think that the upcoming smart glasses are really interesting. Especially what you describe about using smart glasses during cycling shows how “cool gadget” might be able to solve real world problems. Maybe this might also be useful for teacher in the future. They can have the most important information in their sight, so they can look at that and the students at the same time. But I don’t think this will happen in the near future.
I’m really curious to see if people are going to use smart glasses as a practical tool or if it’s going to be a luxury product that is only going to be used by a niche group of people.
This is a really interesting article! Since the much-discussed failure of Google Glass, the topic of smart glasses has been around for a while. The idea is still intriguing, and as you explain, the applications could be useful in a variety of industries, including healthcare. However, it is challenging to determine who will be genuinely willing to purchase these gadgets and use them on a daily basis. Whether or not people believe the glasses actually add value over current technologies, as well as how comfortable and easy they are to use, will determine a lot. Your own cycling example effectively demonstrates this potential and how resolving pragmatic concerns like ease, durability, and safety may be crucial to the success of smart glasses.
Good post! I like that you also put a personal comment about this phenomenon. As you said, if it would make it more convenient to use while cycling or performing another sport it would definitely be adopted amongst more people. However, I also think the accessibility, for instance the price of the glasses would play a big role in adoption amongst different sports. It is an intriguing idea and I’m curious what the future will hold for these glasses!