Google just teased new AR glasses in Project Astra demo
What's the story
Google subtly introduced a pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses during its new Project Astra demonstration at the I/O 2024 event.
A Google employee used the glasses to interact with Gemini AI, asking, "Do you remember where you saw my glasses?"
Despite the object not being in view, Gemini accurately responded, "Yes, I do. Your glasses were on a desk near a red apple."
The AR glasses featured an onboard camera and visual interface.
AI interaction
AR glasses showcase advanced interaction capabilities
The wearer of the AR glasses continued to engage with Gemini, asking more questions about their surroundings.
This interaction suggested that the device is equipped with a camera to capture environmental details.
An interface displayed a moving waveform indicating active listening, while onscreen captions mirrored the spoken responses.
These features imply the presence of an onboard microphone, speaker, processor, and battery within the device.
Design details
Google's AR glasses: A new vision for wearable tech
The AR glasses showcased by Google sported a simple black frame, differing significantly from the design of Google Glass.
They did not appear bulky, suggesting a focus on user comfort and wearability.
Despite the intriguing demonstration, Google remained tight-lipped about the specifics of these glasses during the event.
The company only hinted that their vision of "universal agents" under Project Astra could extend to devices like phones or glasses.
Market trends
Google's AR glasses join the 2024 smart glasses trend
Smart glasses are gaining popularity in 2024, with Amazon's Echo Frames and Meta's Ray-Ban glasses leading the trend.
Google's new AR glasses demonstrated similar capabilities as Gemini Live, an AI assistant developed by Google DeepMind's Project Astra.
The smart glasses were able to answer questions just like a phone would.
However, it remains unclear when Google plans to officially launch this product.