Brother – a name better known for printing technology – is looking to produce the first augmented reality glasses aimed at the mass market: the AiRScouter.
Clearly taking its cues from the increasing interest in augmented reality apps for cellphones – which use the on-board camera to overlay information such as directions on to a live view of the world – Brother is betting that this is the year that AR leaves the pages of your favorite SF novels and becomes a mainstream technology.
The Brother AiRScouter Augmented Reality Glasses – to give them their full name according to DVICE – can attach to existing eyeglasses or plain-glass frames for those without vision defects and use a micro-electrical mechanical system (MEMS) scanner to gather information about its surroundings.
This live view – aided by a light source for low-light usage – is projected into the user’s vision as a floating sixteen-inch display. By only projecting into a single eye, transparency is achieved – and, in theory, the image appears as an overlay without distracting the user from the task at hand.
The possibilities for such a device are endless: as well as the basics, such as the ability to read incoming text messages from your cellphone without having to look away from what you’re doing, augmented reality promises so many ways to improve our lives. Imagine, if you will, that you’re working on a car engine – and could see the part you need to loosen next highlighted in your vision. Imagine again when you’re walking in an unfamiliar neighborhood, and a glowing line could be projected to lead you safely to your destination. Perhaps you’d prefer to use the technology to cheat at pool – with a line projected that only you can see demonstrating precisely where your shot is going to go.
Although head-up displays – a precursor to this type of augmented reality system – have been in military use for years, AR holds the promise of so much more than merely displaying information in your line of vision, and if Brother’s AiRScouter is the precursor for a flood of similar devices the next few years could get very interesting indeed.
Okay, so initial releases such as the AiRScouter aren’t likely to be up there with SF concepts such as the ARI glasses in the game Heavy Rain, but Brother’s work certainly brings us one step closer to that goal.
Sadly, pricing information isn’t yet available – and Brother hasn’t committed to a precise launch beyond a vague by-the-end-of-the-year announcement.
