Meta eyewear.
Blog Vol 7.6. Meta eyewear.
In 2021, Meta (formerly Facebook) in conjunction with Ray-Ban released Gen 1 Meta glasses; in 2023, Gen 2; and in September (?) 2026, with Ray-Ban and Oakley, Gen 3. What are Meta glasses? How are the generations different?
Most people have Smart phones and are aware of the power that is in their hands, with Meta glasses that power is now in your glasses. “AI glasses for effortless connection” is the slogan. Fashion, quality video/camera, music, verbal control, sending messages and taking calls, all with your glasses!?
Meta glasses, equipped with microphone and camera, simply allow you to access your phone through Bluetooth in your glasses.
The generations:
Gen 1 - Built-in Dual 5 megapixel (MP) camera for photos and 30 second video clips. They also have open-ear speakers and microphones but with limited use. The battery life was shorter, at 3-4 hours.
Gen 2 - Camera up-grade to 12 MP with ultra-wide 100-degree field, also video now at maximum of 30 frames per second at 3 K resolution. Battery life was doubled and the charging case improved. The processor was radically upgraded to run multimodal Meta AI software.
Gen 3 - Again, the processor is improved and uses less energy than Gen 2. Battery life is extended for all-day wear. The final upgrade is a refined microphone that isolates voice commands against harsh weather conditions.
There are serious privacy issues with Meta eyewear. The things that make it popular such as discreet built-in cameras, audio recording capabilities, and AI data-sharing, also make it problematic. Rules will need to be established, not the first time this has happened.
Unfortunately, Meta glasses are not the answer to the problems of the visually impaired. There are better devices, like Eschenbach’s Optaro, that work with your phone or tablet to provide magnification and optical character recognition. The Optaro is a tool focused on one task: seeing. Similarly, Nuance listening assistance glasses are a tool focused on one task: hearing. This focus allows for a refinement of tasks geared to one end.
Still, Meta glasses are certainly a very interesting idea, whether the benefits will outweigh the negatives in the long run is hard to say.
Til next week,
the good doctor
