Meta unveiled the latest version of its experimental smart glasses, designed to advance research in artificial intelligence, robotics, and machine perception.
The Aria Gen 2 glasses are intended to be used by researchers as tools to assist in their studies on robotic systems, advanced sensors, and other technologies, Meta explained in a blog post.
For example, the startup Envision is using these new glasses to develop services for people with visual and hearing impairments, according to an official post from Meta.
These new glasses represent an improvement over the Aria Gen 1, which Meta announced in 2020.
The Aria Gen 2 marks a new step in Meta’s efforts to turn smart glasses into the next major computing platform after the smartphone. The company also sells the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which cost $300, feature an AI voice assistant, and can be used to take photos and videos.
Additionally, in September, Meta introduced the prototype of its cutting-edge Orion glasses, which incorporate full augmented reality capabilities.
Among the improvements of the Aria Gen 2 glasses compared to their predecessor are upgraded sensors, including one that measures heart rate, the ability to perform more complex calculations directly on the device thanks to Meta’s custom chips, and greater autonomy for all-day usability, according to the blog.
“Making them available to academic and commercial research labs through Project Aria will further advance open research and public understanding of a key set of technologies that we believe will help shape the future of computing and AI,” the company wrote.
Meta did not say when the device would be more widely available to researchers but stated that there is an option to sign up for updates.
