Smart binoculars feed the adventure with augmented reality

It's just not enough to merely gawp at what's in front of you these days, technologies now allow us to identify and learn about what we see. Unistellar brought such capabilities to telescopes, and is now doing the same for binoculars with the launch of Envision.

For this project, Unistellar has partnered with Nikon for the premium optics, which offer x10 magnification and a 50-mm diameter. The company has also added in what's being dubbed the Augmented Reality Precision Orientation System.

This technology overlays contextual information on the right eyepiece, augmenting the user's natural field of view with useful information on what seen through the optical system – with the company saying that "for the vast majority of users, the brain naturally merges both views into a single field."

It's similar to what Swarovski Optik did when marrying the Merlin Bird ID app with its AX Vision smart binoculars earlier in the year. But Unistellar's companion app goes beyond birds and wildlife, boasting more than a million hills, mountains and peaks as well as hundreds of thousands of trails, shelters, caves, springs and so on. A thousand astronomical targets are also on offer along with 200,000 stars.

The smart system has four exploration modes. During daylight hours, users can overlay a 3D map with landmark highlights, trails, water sources and other points of interest via the Smart Scouting Mode. Inertial measurement units combine with the Bluetooth-paired handset's GPS location to generate precise positioning information, and real-time altitude and azimuth data is also available on the AR-enhanced view. After dark, the binoculars can tap into Unistellar's cosmic prowess and learn about what's twinkling in the night sky.

A Guided Navigation Mode pretty much does what you'd think during the day, but the app suggests celestial objects of interest at night. A third mode lets a user lock onto a distant object – "be it a camouflaged animal or distant star" – and pass the Envision binoculars to a friend, who will be guided to the locked target to share the discovery. And finally, the Classic Optical Mode disables the AR technology for more traditional non-enhanced use scenarios.

Unistellar says that users can expect up to five hours of continuous AR-assisted use from a single charge of the onboard battery, or up to 1,000 binocular engagements. But if your specs checklist includes such things as image stabilization, night vision and an integrated camera, then you'll not find them here.

"We're thrilled to unveil Envision smart binoculars, a testament to our commitment to innovation in exploration," said Laurent Marfisi, company co-founder and CEO. "Excitement continues to grow within the global community of explorers and technology enthusiasts alike. From amateur astronomers to outdoor adventurers, Envision will empower these users to discover and engage with their surroundings in ways never thought possible."

Unistellar has launched on Kickstarter to engage with potential users and fund production. Super Early Bird pledge levels are available for US$599, which represents a saving of 50% on the expected retail price. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan with the remainder of the campaign, the first Envision binoculars are estimated to ship from November 2025. The video below has more.

Source: Unistellar