In September, Sony announced its augmented reality wearable Smart Eyeglass, but at that time only the Software Development Kit (SDK) was available for those interested in creating apps for this new Sony platform. Now developers can get their hands, ears, and eyes on the Developer Edition of Sony's chunky AR specs.
The overall design and specs haven't changed much from initial reports, with the holographic goggles about the size and shape of a large pair of glasses and weighing in at 77 g (2.7 oz), with a connected control pack housing the microphone, touch controls, battery, and speaker. The wearable portion of the unit also contains a camera with a 3-MP CMOS image sensor, an accelerometer, gyro, electronic compass, and brightness sensor.
In comparison, Google Glass is 43 g (1.51 oz), and my funkiest hipster eyeglasses are still a miniscule 25 g (0.9 oz), though Smart Eyeglass is striving for full binocular AR, not the HUD effect of Glass. However, Eyeglass won't work for users already wearing glasses. And unlike Glass, Sony's offering is not standalone, relying on a Bluetooth or WLAN connection with a host Android phone.
Just last month Google halted sales of Glass, though asserted the project was still alive, potentially leaving the field wide open for Sony for the time being. Pre-orders for the Developer Edition can be made through the Sony website for either Germany or the UK, at €670.00 (US$750) and £520 (US$805) respectively, with USA and Japan pre-orders forthcoming.
Below is Sony's video highlighting some of the potential uses for Smart Eyeglass.
Source: Sony
