Product Information

The first version of Envision Glasses is Envision working on a Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2. It has all the same functionalities of the Envision app, that can now be interacted with, without having a phone in your hand. Here are some key specs of these incredible glasses:

Form

The Google Glass has the shape of a spectacle frame that can be worn like normal spectacles. The frame can either be left empty or be fitted with custom lenses based on the users’ preference. The left side of the frame is where the camera, the processors and the speakers are. The form factor is small enough to not be bulky or feel obtrusive and our early testers didn't find it to be stigmatising to wear in public. There is a small screen at the edge of the right frame, which however is redundant for our use case. They can be also removed if needed.

Interaction

There is a Touchpad on the side of glass which is the primary method of interaction with the glasses. We had to custom build our own version of TalkBack (the Google Glass doesn't yet support TalkBack) which allows you to scroll through the options and perform actions. There is a speaker at the back of the glass, near your ears, through which you hear the output. You can also connect headphones through a USB-C port or via bluetooth. There is also a physical button in the back to turn off or on the glasses.

Battery

It comes with a USB-C based fast charging and lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge.

Communication

The Envision Glasses will have both online and offline functionalities, just like the Envision app. The glasses can connect to WiFi and also exchange information with your phone over Bluetooth.

Roadmap

We currently have a prototype of the Envision Glasses that we are testing with a closed group of our users (you can read about how you can be a part of the testing below). We are simultaneously developing and finalising all the features which will be locked in by March. We intend to launch our finalised product and start a pre-order campaign at CSUN in March 2020. From that point on, we will work on finalising the operations and logistics around the glasses, aiming to ship it to the users who pre-ordered by July 2020.

Cost

We are still figuring out the cost of the glasses, especially the hardware part which is still dependent on Google. We will update you here (and by email if you sign up) when we have more updates on that. By current estimates, it could cost between $1000 to $1500, all inclusive.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Here are a few answers to frequently asked questions:

Why not make your own glasses?

Developing hardware is a resource intensive and expensive endeavour. It also happens to be something we have less expertise in. Our major forte is software, hence we decided to find the best hardware to develop on, allowing us to be bring more value while keeping the cost of this as affordable as possible.
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Are there going to be other versions?

Yes, we will continue to test with new smartglasses that show up in the market. We are also currently testing several wired smartglasses that we could introduce if they meet our standards or quality and performance.

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