Orion AR Glasses: The Best Features of Meta’s New Wearable Device

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Introduction
Cutting-Edge Display Technology
Advanced Input Methods
Lightweight and Comfortable Design
Powerful AI Integration
Wireless Computing Puck
High-Quality Audio and Communication
Camera System and Spatial Awareness
Battery Life and Power Management
Closing Thoughts on Orion AR Glasses

Orion AR Glasses: The Best Features of Meta’s New Wearable Device

Curated by

cdteliot

5 min read

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Meta's Orion AR glasses, unveiled at Connect 2024, represent a significant leap in augmented reality technology, combining a wide 70-degree field of view with a lightweight design that approaches the form factor of regular glasses, as reported by CNET and CNBC.

Cutting-Edge Display Technology

The Orion AR glasses have a 70-degree field of view even with their compact frame

. This is possible because of micro LED projectors and silicon carbide waveguides that are lightweight yet functional

. The micro LED projectors are in RGB and can produce extreme levels of brightness, which is necessary to avoid light loss and adjust lighting depending on your surroundings

. On the other hand, silicon carbide waveguides have a high refraction index so they can tweak light propagation and reduce issues like ghosting, haze, and rainbow artifacts

. With these components, your lenses turn into amazing holographic screens

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Advanced Input Methods

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You can control the Orion AR glasses in four main ways: voice commands, eye tracking, hand gestures, and a neural wristband. This multi-modal input system allows you to use the AR glasses in whichever method that's most convenient or you're most comfortable with

. The easiest way is to just tell the glasses what you want. They can recognize your instructions and comply accordingly. They can also follow your eye motions and let you navigate the interface with a few glimpses and blinks. Moreover, cameras are situated at the front of the frame to monitor your hand gestures, so every swipe and tap in the air translates to a command in your mini screens

. Lastly, Meta adds a neural wristband to the package. Using electromyography (EMG), this can interpret subtle muscle movements in your arm as haptic feedback, which the glasses take as an order

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Lightweight and Comfortable Design

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Meta's goal is to make their AR glasses look like regular glasses. They don't want to make the device bulky and attention-grabbing. For this purpose, the frame of the Orion AR glasses is made from magnesium alloy. Weighing only 98 grams, this makes it lighter than common aluminum frames, yet it's still durable enough to house the mechanism and parts that make the AR glasses work

. It dissipates heat more effectively than its counterparts as well because of Meta's innovative thermal management techniques and the silicon carbide lenses that can disperse heat in addition to its optical capacities

. You can enjoy full-color display without the device overheating on your face.

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Powerful AI Integration

Of course, the new Orion glasses have artificial intelligence incorporated into their system. AI deep learning models, particularly Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), are necessary for the glasses to detect objects, classify them, and overlay real-time information.

You'd want to have a smooth augmented reality experience and AI makes that possible. It can dynamically superimpose digital content onto real-world objects and adjust the display based on your surroundings and preferences.

A cool demonstration of this is watching someone from miles away appear before your eyes. Are they really there with you in the room? No, but the AR glasses show them as if they're physically present.

You can also use AI assistants and chatbots for real-time language translations and navigation guidance.

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Wireless Computing Puck

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The Orion AR glasses also come with a pocketable computing puck, an external device containing the main processing unit. Don't be fooled by its size because it's extremely powerful. Roughly the size of a smartphone battery pack, this small, wireless puck can tackle the heavy computational tasks that the glasses can't bear alone

. Meta decided on this approach because they don't want to cram a lot of hardware into the glasses themselves, which will contribute to the weight, size, and form of the frame. Separating the heavy-duty components will lower the strain on your ears and neck while wearing the spectacles and if the system heats up, it won't be directly at your face

. Because the puck is not tethered to the glasses, you can carry it wherever you go. It can connect with your wearable device within a 12-foot radius, so it's also all right if you just leave it nearby

. Furthermore, Meta assures that any future updates can be installed in the puck, enabling you to get the new features without buying a new pair of glasses.

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High-Quality Audio and Communication

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Like most AR glasses, Orion has audio capabilities too. It has built-in directional speakers positioned near the ears, so you won't have to get separate headphones just to listen to your playlists with immersive spatial audio

. It even leverages bone conduction technology, a method that transmits sounds to your skull before reaching the ear. This makes the audio quality clear but not loud enough to drown out surrounding sounds so you can maintain situational awareness

. Aside from speakers, the Orion AR glasses are equipped with multiple beam-forming microphones that capture clear voice input while minimizing background noise

. These microphones let you answer calls, converse with AI assistants, translate languages, and issue voice commands

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Camera System and Spatial Awareness

The Orion AR glasses have not just one, not two, not three— but seven cameras embedded all around their frame. Their outward-facing cameras take in visual data of the environment that the system processes for object detection and spatial mapping.

They also track your hand motion for gesture commands and intuitive interactions with virtual objects. Cameras are even placed on the sides of the lenses to monitor eye movements for vision-triggered actions.

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Battery Life and Power Management

According to Meta, their new Orion glasses can run on 2-3 hours of continuous use after a single charge. This battery life may be too short, but Meta explains that it's because of the glasses' compact size and the high power consumption they need for advanced features. They do have systems in place to maximize and extend the battery life such as installing a larger battery in the wireless puck to distribute power usage and a custom radio protocol that decreases radio operation for power efficiency. The puck can also shoulder the intensive and demanding tasks so the glasses can stay on for longer. Since the micro LED projectors can adjust the lighting, they can lower output to conserve power. With these methods, the AR glasses can hopefully run beyond their limits, though Meta admits that this is a downside that they're trying to overhaul in future models. Their goal is to achieve all-day battery life in consumer versions.

Closing Thoughts on Orion AR Glasses

Meta has released a lot of new stuff this week and the Orion AR glasses stood out. This wearable device is pushing boundaries in technology by blending the digital realm and the real world together. They would really be useful for people who are fascinated with augmented reality since this is something that can be worn anywhere, anytime.

However, despite its great features and applications, this invention from Meta lacks the battery life you may need for daily use. It's also expensive since it's fresh out on the market.

The wireless puck is a smart way to lessen the load, but the ideal AR glasses would be an all-in-one, standalone gadget that has high capacity even without a companion device.

This may be a dream for today, but it can still turn into reality with a future version of Orion.