Last Updated on September 26, 2024 7:27 pm by Laszlo Szabo / NowadAIs | Published on September 26, 2024 by Laszlo Szabo / NowadAIs
Meta’s Orion AR Glasses: Zuck’s $40 Billion Bet on Your Face – Key Notes
- Meta unveils “Orion,” prototype AR glasses made of magnesium alloy with custom silicon
- Glasses feature hand-tracking, voice control, and a wrist-based neural interface
- Commercial release expected in 2027, with Meta spending up to $40 billion on development in 2024
Orion is on the Horizon
Here’s a sneak peek at Meta’s new small form glasses, called Orion. They’re fully standalone and feature eye, hand, and even neural tracking. Can’t wait to try these! pic.twitter.com/gIN2NOllMW
— Nathie @ Meta Connect (@NathieVR) September 25, 2024
Mark Zuckerberg just pulled a rabbit out of his hat – or should we say, a pair of chunky black glasses out of a metal case. These aren’t your grandpa’s reading specs; they’re Meta‘s first working prototype of augmented-reality (AR) glasses, dubbed “Orion.”
“This is the physical world with holograms overlaid on it,”
Zuckerberg gushed, probably feeling like Tony Stark unveiling his latest Iron Man suit.
Time Machine or Tech Triumph?
Zuck’s not calling Orion a pair of glasses – he’s calling it a “time machine.” Talk about setting expectations sky-high!
“For now, I think the right way to look at Orion is as a time machine,”
he said.
“These glasses exist, they are awesome and they are a glimpse of a future that I think is going to be pretty exciting.”
But before you start planning your trip to the Jurassic period, remember that this is just a prototype. The real deal isn’t expected to hit the streets until 2027. That’s right, folks – four years until you can pretend you’re in a sci-fi movie.
Not Your Average Specs
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill glasses. Made of magnesium alloy and powered by custom silicon designed by Meta, Orion is like the Rolls-Royce of eyewear.
Users will be able to interact with the glasses through hand-tracking, voice, and a wrist-based neural interface. It’s like having a smartphone, a smartwatch, and a mind-reading device all rolled into one stylish package.
But don’t expect to see these on your next shopping trip. Zuckerberg says they need to make Orion “smaller, sleeker and more low-cost” before releasing it to consumers. Because who wants to walk around looking like they’ve got a computer strapped to their face?
Big Tech’s Big Dreams
Meta isn’t the first to dream big in the AR world. Remember Google Glass? Yeah, neither does anyone else. It was a spectacular flop that proved not everyone wants to look like a cyborg.
But Zuckerberg is betting big on AR. He’s pivoted the whole company towards building immersive “metaverse” systems. It’s like he’s trying to turn “Ready Player One” into reality.
Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, says Meta wants to make AR products as common as smartphones. But he adds that users are “still wary of AI” and need some convincing. Maybe they should hire Tom Cruise for their next demo?
Show and Tell
Zuckerberg didn’t actually demonstrate Orion’s capabilities during his announcement. Instead, he played a video showing people’s reactions to the device. It was like watching a bunch of kids try VR for the first time – lots of “oohs” and “aahs.”
The video showed glimpses of text messages and images displayed through the glasses. Even Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, got in on the action. When tech bigwigs are impressed, you know it’s either really good or really overhyped.
AI Upgrades Galore
But wait, there’s more! Meta also announced AI enhancements to their Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Soon, you’ll be able to scan QR codes, stream music from Spotify, and even have real-time language translations.
Zuckerberg demonstrated the translation tool by chatting with Mexican mixed martial arts fighter Brandon Moreno. The glasses translated between English and Spanish faster than you can say “donde esta la biblioteca.”
The Price of Innovation
All this cool tech doesn’t come cheap. Meta’s been pouring tens of billions of dollars into metaverse, AR, and other AI technologies. They’re planning to spend between $37 billion and $40 billion in 2024 alone. That’s more than the GDP of some small countries!
Their metaverse unit, Reality Labs, lost $8.3 billion in the first half of this year. That’s on top of the $16 billion it lost last year. Talk about betting the farm on the future!
So, there you have it, folks. Meta’s AR glasses are here, and they’re promising to turn your world into a sci-fi wonderland. Just don’t hold your breath waiting to buy a pair. By the time they hit the market, we might all be living in the metaverse anyway!
Descriptions:
- Augmented Reality (AR): Technology that overlays digital information on the real world, enhancing what you see, hear, or feel.
- Metaverse: A virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space.
- Neural interface: A direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device, in this case, a wrist-worn device to control the AR glasses.
- Silicon: In this context, refers to computer chips custom-designed by Meta to power the AR glasses.
- Reality Labs: Meta’s division focused on developing virtual and augmented reality technologies.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What can Meta’s AR glasses do? Meta’s AR glasses, called Orion, can overlay digital information on the real world. They’re designed to let users interact with virtual objects and information using hand gestures, voice commands, and a wrist-worn neural interface.
- When will Meta’s AR glasses be available to buy? Meta’s AR glasses are currently in the prototype stage. The company expects to release a commercial version to consumers in 2027, giving them time to make the glasses smaller, sleeker, and more affordable.
- How much will Meta’s AR glasses cost? Meta hasn’t announced a price for their AR glasses yet. However, given the advanced technology and the billions being invested in development, they’re likely to be pricey at first, possibly in the range of high-end smartphones or more.
- How do Meta’s AR glasses compare to other AR products like Google Glass? Meta’s AR glasses seem more advanced than previous attempts like Google Glass. They feature more powerful computing capabilities, a wider range of interactions, and are being developed with lessons learned from earlier AR flops.
- What are the potential applications of Meta’s AR glasses? Meta’s AR glasses could have a wide range of applications, from entertainment and gaming to productivity and communication. They could potentially replace smartphones for many tasks, offering hands-free access to information and digital interactions in your field of view.
