[Wired]
While Google’s augmented-reality glasses are receiving immense attention — and scrutiny — they’re certainly not the first pieces of eyewear to include an integrated display.
A company called Vuzix released its first pair of augmented-reality glasses, the iWear VR920, in 2009. The glasses contain two LCD displays that mimic a 62-inch screen sitting nine feet away. An add-on camera routes real-time footage of the real world to the LCDs, overlaying augmented-reality elements powered by LinceoVR software.
The Vuzix glasses were perhaps the first low-cost integrated-display glasses on the market that didn’t outright suck. Nonetheless, that distinction hasn’t translated into mass-market appeal and sales.
The same can be said for the Sony Glasstron personal video headset that was released in 1997. And even the 3D monochromatic Virtual Boy with its powerhouse Nintendo pedigree couldn’t entice gamers to shove over-sized glasses onto their faces for a more immersive experience.
But none of these stumbles have stopped companies from dipping their toes into the dubious waters of integrated-display eyewear. From augmented-reality glasses to headsets that render movies and games, you can actually purchase a number of integrated-display products — right now, today.
So, while Google leaves us hanging with very little actual information aboutProject Glass, the following headsets are doing their best to entice us into a world of integrated-display eyewear.
Recon Mod Live Alpine Goggles
Recon has been in the head-up display (HUD) game since 2010. The company’s first product, the Transcend, was a partnership with Zeal Optics to bring a HUD to the eyes of skiers and snowboarders. The HUD goggles use a rider’s GPS location to display elevation, speed, and time of day in a small screen that sits at the bottom-right of the user’s field of vision — and it’s all in real time. …
Vuzix Star 1200
Project Glass has been a pet project of Google for two years. Meanwhile,Vuzix’s Star 1200 augmented-reality glasses are the company’s third generation of AR headsets — and, at $5,000 (£3,140), they suggest just how difficult augmented reality is to pull off. Starting with the previously mentioned iWear VR920, Vuzix has continued to bring integrated-display glasses to the market with limited success.. …
Brother AiRScouter
Yeah, Brother — the printer company — sells an augmented-reality eyewear device called the AiRScouter (above). We’re as surprised as you are. In our ongoing reporting of Project Glass, experts have told us that the manufacturing and medical sectors are prime candidates for augmented-reality applications. Brother is embracing manufacturing applications with the AiRScouter, as the video below showcases.
The glasses employ a monocular (single display) design with a translucent LCD that sits in front of the wearer’s left eye. …
Epson Moverio BT-100
While augmented reality gets everyone excited about integrated-display glasses, sometimes the technology can be overkill. Maybe you just want to replace the display on your desk, or the TV in your living room. In those instances, relatively simple (but still fully immersive) head-mounted displays offer a way to use a computer, watch TV, or just tune out the world while still sitting at your desk, or on your couch.
Epson’s Moverio BT-100 head gear fits into this category, purportedly recreating the viewing area of a 80-inch monitor that sits 16.4 feet away.
Unlike other head-mounted displays that block the outside world from view, the Moverio displays images onto semi-transparent glass. When the system’s integrated projectors are turned off, the display can double as a less-than-fashionable pair of sunglasses. …
Sony HMZ T1
While the Epson Moverio tries to cover all the bases, the $800 (£500) Sony HMZ T1 goes after one market: entertainment. Sony set its sights on creating the most immersive 3D movie and video gaming experience on the market, andaccording to glowing reviews of the device, it succeeded.
The HMZ T1 features dual 720p OLED displays that mimic a 750-inch screen that’s 65 feet away. ….
Silicon Micro Display ST1080
A direct competitor to the Sony HMZ T1, the $800 (£500) Silicon Micro Display ST1080 headset also uses a controller box to view video content. But unlike the HMZ T1, the ST1080 displays video at 1080p and has a transparent display. You’ll still be sitting in your living room tethered to a media device, but you’ll be using new display technology while you’re doing it. …
Read the full story here: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-04/12/glasses-with-integrated-displays