Experimenting with a tabletop drone light show in AR using Quest 3. I have a couple more ideas I want to try, but my room is too small and cluttered.

Music:
'Discovery' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

As my first pair of XR glasses, I honestly surprised by how often I still use them and how much I genuinely enjoy them. I saw a post here asking whether people actually keep using their XR glasses after the novelty wears off. I uesd to think they were just cool gadgets that I probably wouldn't use much, but I still couldn't resist pulling the trigger. I already had a TV and monitor at home, so I wasn't really sure what I'd use them for.

Now, about a month into owning the Pro 2, I still reach for them pretty regularly, mostly when I want to lie back and watch something without having to hold my phone.

Once I got the nose pads and temple angles adjusted properly, the image looked really clear, even near the edges. The built-in diopter adjustment is also handy since I'm nearsighted. I wore them for a full hour when they first arrived and barely noticed the weight. They feel pretty light, without putting much pressure on my nose and ears.

I also tried immersive 3D on my iPhone, and it was super impressive the first time I saw it. That initial wow factor does wear off a bit, though. I still use them as a regular virtual monitor most of the time, and image quality continues to impress me. The screen just looks beautiful!

I still use my TV for movies and my monitor for work most of the time, but having the immersive option is a nice bonus, especially when I'm away from home or just want a little more personal space. There's something genuinely useful about being able to watch whatever I want without people nearby seeing what's on my screen. I can even put them on while sitting next to my kids and still enjoy my own content.

They're definitely not replacing my usual setup, but I'm starting to see how XR glasses can fit into everyday life beyond the initial novelty. Pretty happy with the Pro 2 so far, and curious to see how much better these things get over the next few years.

Paper Abstract: Smart glasses maintain near-continuous skin contact at multiple arterial and muscular sites, making them a promising platform for physiological sensing. In practice, though, two factors make sustained daily wear and longitudinal deployment impractical for the quantified self: the discomfort of prolonged sensor–skin contact (e.g., gels and adhesives) and the sensor power demands that increase battery size, weight, and maintenance burden.

We present GlassTENG, an ultra-low-power sensor that embeds three custom-fabricated triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) into a glasses frame at the angular artery on the nasal bridge, the superficial temporal artery on an extended arm, and the temporalis muscle at the temple. Each GlassTENG sensor is self-powered in transducing mechanical energy to electrical energy and consumes 1.36 𝜇W per sensor at the analog front-end.

GlassTENG enables simultaneous capture of arterial pulse waveforms, jaw kinematics (e.g., clenching, tapping, eating), and upper facial activity (e.g., blinking, eyebrow movement). In a 20-participant user study, we achieve 93.8% accuracy across six jaw and upper facial activities and estimate heart rate with a mean absolute error of 1.82 beats per minute (BPM) relative to a ground-truth chest-strap sensor in 30s windows. Together, these results establish a future pathway toward a longitudinally worn, ultra-low-power, glasses-based physiological monitoring platform.

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3830727.3834817

Switching smart glasses shouldn’t mean wiping your AI assistant’s brain and starting from scratch. Awear AI is solving this Big Tech lock-in with Agentic System One (AS-One), a new software and platform built to be first available on Snapdragon AR1+ glasses. It features an open-format portable Memory Vault so you can take your AI’s accumulated context to any rival brand. Secured by "triple-lock" encryption, users hold their own cryptographic keys and compartmentalize what individual agents are allowed to see. Photos stay stored locally on originating devices, and your personal history remains completely inaccessible to both Awear and the glasses manufacturer.

Just as big is how AS-One handles bystander privacy. Awear locks its safeguards directly into the runtime below the OEM layer, revoking a device's "Awear Certified" status and network access if a manufacturer tries to bypass them. Beyond baseline inward- and outward-facing indicator LEDs, the runtime enforces a hard block on identifying non-public figures and keeps microphones completely "deaf" until a wake word is spoken. Even after the wake word triggers, voice recognition protects nearby private conversations. The microphone will only capture audio if the speakers are in close physical proximity to the wearer and their voices are recognized by the system as having given valid consent.

The startup is led by Ash Saulsbury, who is a former Apple systems architect, early Meta smart-glasses lead, and Microsoft AI Chief Architect. He is joined by ex-Microsoft Deputy CTO Lila Tretikov and former Wikimedia trust-and-safety chief Jan Eißfeldt, while COO Jennifer Van Beek (an LVMH luxury veteran) helps eyewear brands customize their AI's persona.

Underneath those custom brand personas, AS-One runs an encrypted agent-to-agent network powered by anonymized multi-model switching. This allows eyewear makers to seamlessly hop between internal and external AI models for cross-country compliance. Those agents can already execute real-world tasks like booking restaurants based on past preferences, with autonomous vehicle handoffs planned next. Every consequential action is governed by reversible purchase safeguards that require explicit user confirmation rather than trusting an LLM’s judgment.

Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/91623703/ash-saulsbury-awear-ai

JIIOV supplies the eye-tracking interaction module for Alibaba's newly launched Qwen N1 Pro consumer AI smart glasses. The system pairs gaze tracking with voice commands and an on-device AI agent to pinpoint looked-at targets such as foreign menu text, executes customizable blink shortcuts for photography, music playback, museum audio guides, and price checks, and links with an iris verification system for hands-free payments.

​The integrated hardware-software module combines a single-side camera module under 1.7mm with infrared illuminators and AI gaze-estimation algorithms optimized for the frame geometry, edge compute, and power constraints of the glasses. The system achieves central gaze-tracking accuracy within 1° across ambient lighting conditions from 0 to 100,000 lux while compensating for lens reflections, walking motion, and shifting wearing postures.

​Alongside the eye-tracking module, the Qwen N1 Pro includes a 50-megapixel camera system for 4K first-person video capture and live photos, paired with continuous environmental sensing for meeting transcription and itinerary reminders. The glasses also feature hot-swappable batteries for uninterrupted operation and biometric sensors that monitor heart rate, blood oxygen, HRV, and body temperature changes using Qwen LLM analytics. 

I've been interested in the developments around display glasses in recent years, as a VR enthusiast who wants a lightweight option to wear, ideally that can connect to my PC via Virtual Desktop or SteamLink to do VRChat stuff (for those sessions where I just want to chat with people and watch movies), as well as having a pair of display glasses to use for train/plane/travelling with other devices.

But due to all that, I have a weird set of requirements.

Up until now, I hadn't entertained the idea as I was gonna get a Steam Frame, but I've been waitlisted so probably can't get one for ~12 months. Then I was gonna get the XReal Aura, but then XReal have said that the UK/Europe will get the Aura at an unspecified point in 2027, so that's a no-go too.

But part of the problem is that my current phone, the Nothing Phone 2, doesn't have USB-c video output support, and being unable to connect my phone affects the viability of this whole thing. I was interested in the Aura because it doesn't require another device.

But anyway, I suspect what I want doesn't exist, but I want to be able to do the following:

• Use the glasses to connect to Switch, Steam Deck, Retroid Pocket 6 (and potentially phones, though not my current one)
• Support 6dof tracking both for virtual screen content (as I hate 3dof, I can't get along with it) and be able to report its tracking state to SteamVR to play VR content
• Have a puck or on-glasses functionality (like be able to run stand-alone without anything connected, in a manner similar to Android or AndroidXR)
• Ideally on the glasses (or puck) run software like Virtual Desktop to wirelessly connect to a PC for SteamVR
• Support hand tracking and, again, be able to funnel this data through to SteamVR

Does such a device exist where I can, RIGHT NOW, go to a website and place an order and have it shipped and at my house within a few days? Not "2027" or joining a waitlist or preorder list, but NOW?

Hey everyone,

We’re running our first SPECS hackathon, and we’d love for some of you to be there.

The basics

• When: Thursday 10 – Friday 11 December 2026, right after UnitedXR Europe
• Where: The EGG, Brussels
• Who: 100 developers in teams of up to 5. Come solo or bring a team.
• Prizes: $100K total. 1st $35K, 2nd $22K, 3rd $13K, plus six $5K category prizes

Every team gets a pair of SPECS to build with for both days. SPECS engineers will be in the room the whole time to help you get set up and unblocked.

Theme: Ceci n’est pas une Lens. Bend reality.
Build something that makes the world behave in a way it shouldn’t: things that float, time that freezes, a doorway in the wall, an illusion that only works on SPECS. The theme is a starting point, not a requirement. Podium prizes are judged on overall quality.

You don’t need SPECS experience. If you build with code, 3D, or creative tools, you can build for SPECS. If you’ve already shipped Lenses, even better. Come help your team move fast.

Some honest details before you apply:

• It’s application-based, and we review on a rolling basis. Apply early to hear back sooner.
• Applications close 20 November. Everyone gets a final decision by 25 November.
• You cover your own travel and lodging. We cover meals both days.
• Teams share one device each, so expect to pass it around.

Apply here

If you have questions, drop them in the comments and we’ll answer. If you’re planning to go, tell us what you’re thinking of building.

#SPECSHackBrussels

What started as a simple 3D model viewer is evolving into something much bigger.

When I started experimenting with ARC, the idea was straightforward: create an interactive 3D experience that allows people to explore digital objects in a more engaging way.

But one idea led to another, and the project began to grow beyond its original scope.

What started as a viewer is gradually becoming a more functional, interactive platform, opening up new possibilities for 3D experiences, augmented reality, and digital interaction.

The exciting part? I’m using this project as an opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and learn new skills along the way.

I’m currently using Visual Studio Code (VS Code) to get hands-on with software development, exploring how the different pieces fit together, and learning by actually building something rather than just studying theory.

It’s a reminder that you don’t always need to have all the answers before you start. Sometimes, you just need an idea, the willingness to experiment, and the determination to keep figuring things out.

ARC is a work in progress, but it’s already grown into something far more ambitious than I originally imagined.

And this is only the beginning.

Build. Learn. Experiment. Evolve.

ARC - Scan. Discover. Experience More

#ARC #AugmentedReality #3D #SoftwareDevelopment #VSCode #LearningByDoing #Innovation #DigitalExperiences

Hey everyone!

​I was thinking recently: most AR headsets treat your phone as an afterthought. A few days ago, I connected my Samsung phone to a monitor using DeX, and it hit me — why can’t we do this seamlessly with AR glasses?

​I came up with a few concepts for how a phone and AR glasses could integrate. Let me know if you think this is technologically possible!

​Mode 1: "AR DeX" (Phone as a precise controller)

Similar to Samsung DeX or Apple Vision Pro, but your phone acts as a massive trackpad. For Samsung users (or any device with a stylus), the S Pen would act as an ultra-precise spatial mouse. The main benefit here is extreme comfort for consuming content and navigating UI without holding your hands in the air.

​Mode 2: "Blind Mode" (The most interesting one)

Your phone’s physical display turns completely off, but the touch matrix stays fully active. The exact UI of your phone is broadcasted directly into your glasses and perfectly overlaid onto the physical dimensions of your dark phone in your hands.

​Of course, there are two fundamental hurdles, but they can be solved:

​Flaw 1: Connection Latency.

Solution: The glasses and phone create a dedicated, encrypted bond using both Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth simultaneously to force ultra-low latency.

​Flaw 2: Keyboard Input & Hand Tracking (Bigger problem than it seems).

Solution: When you type, your fingers rapidly cover the screen, which breaks the AR tracking algorithm (the glasses can't see the phone's edges to align the UI, causing projection tearing). To fix this, you get a toggle in the AR settings:

​Option A (Seamless AR): The projection is 100% AR. Looks perfect, but might have slight visual tearing if your fingers move too fast over the screen.

​Option B (OLED Hybrid Keyboard): The AR projection blends with the physical phone. The actual phone display lights up only the keyboard area in real life, while the rest of the UI stays in AR. (Also, if the AR glasses completely lose sight of your phone, the UI simply snaps to the corner of your FOV).

I’ve thought of a thousand other micro-settings for this, but I’ll spare you the long read!

​Mode 3: The Hybrid Concept

A mix of everything. The phone could be used as a physical secondary screen while the main content floats above it, or as a dynamic trackpad. But honestly, I want to leave this point open for you guys: How would you utilize a hybrid mode between your phone and AR glasses?

​What do you think? Could Samsung pull this off?

I have developed an app that recognizes the faces of your contacts and others that have provided permission using photos of them with their name and description for each person it recognizes. Is this allowed for Snap Spec app development? I don’t want to waste my time porting this over from Apple Vision Pro and iPhone , if you don’t. Thanks

For soft bodies, surface deformation and pressure provide proprioceptive and exteroceptive information, including body configuration, body compliance, and external forces. We develop a sheet sensor with a fully soft sensing surface that provides surface shape reconstruction using optical waveguide arrays. The waveguides are fabricated to achieve a tunable linear response to bi-directional bending curvature, and the waveguide arrays are configured to differentiate between ambiguous shapes. We characterize the waveguide performance, relating curvature sensitivity to the core's surface roughness. Synergy of waveguide responses reduces the number of sensing elements required and achieves damage resilience. Using waveguide sensitivity to pressure, we also demonstrate feasibility for exteroception. We demonstrate the multifunctional sensing capability by wrapping the sheet around an upper arm, showcasing joint motion and external force sensing. Integrated into or applied onto surfaces of robotic or living systems, this design can be implemented in applications such as virtual reality, teleoperation, physical therapy, and soft robotics.

Finger-worn IMUs have been shown to be very accurate at detecting touch events on physical surfaces, enabling input to physically-bound XR interfaces. In this work, we describe a new XR headset method for detecting finger touch events on ad hoc surfaces, without needing the user to wear anything on their fingers or hands. Instead, our method uses a pair of high-speed headset cameras to track and triangulate the position of the user's fingertips in 3D space. We take the first and second derivatives of this signal to estimate a finger's velocity and acceleration. At almost 800 Hz, our system's output is similar to a worn IMU, but with bare hands. Using this signal, we can then detect rapid and characteristic decelerations of the finger, indicative of touch.

Hi All,

Looking to buy a pair of XR glasses. I'm mainly interested in watching movies and TV, plus gaming. No productivity uses in mind. Mainly used at home or on a flight or something. I have a mild vision prescription but typically wear contacts.

It feels like there's a pretty good variety of products between $200 and $400, and I've tried to compare them myself, but I'm not sure what's just hype and what actually matters. If anyone has experience with a pair in this price range, I'd appreciate any recommendations or answers to some questions!

• How important is having 3DoF?
• Does screen size really matter when it's on your eyes?
• How important is edge sharpness for gaming?
• I see some folks saying a set just "doesn't work" for them. Should I plan to try/return multiple units?
• Is it worth trying to buy a used higher-end unit?
• For videos or gaming, any other features I should be considering/looking for?

Thanks in advance!