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Head-mountedDisplay posts

Vuzix Wrap 310 video eyewear ships out to virtual big-screen lovers

by Darren Murph posted Oct 25th 2009 at 10:01AM

Vuzix's $249.95 Wrap 310 is probably the least hideous / heinous of the video eyewear options on the market today, and while it's still take a few bottles of Jack to get us to rock these with a smile, those who are just high on life can now make a set their own. In case you're forgotten, these things provide a virtual 55-inch screen in front of your eyes, and there's support for iPod / iPhone connections as well as basic sources such as DVD players and the like. And hey, there's also the possibility that these could be used in augmented reality applications in the future, so feel free to considering this some sort of futuristic investment. Just like those Y2K preparedness tapes you bought in '99.

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Kopin's Golden-i wearable microdisplay demoed, Francisco Scaramanga unavailable for comment

by Tim Stevens posted Sep 24th 2009 at 9:26AM

Wondering what Kopin was going to do with that .34-inch SVGA display? It's wedged one into a working prototype of the Golden-i, a wearable computer that sports Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity on a full Windows CE 6.0 device built into the headband, with up to 6GB of memory and support for microSD storage. Navigation is performed with head movements and voice commands, the latter of which aren't particularly effective at this point according to The Inquirer, which was able to take one for a test run at the ESC event in Boston. But, Kopin's engineers were quick to indicate they'll have that issue addressed before the device's eventual release. The price isn't particularly extreme, under $2,000, meaning you shouldn't have to hijack any secret military satellites and blackmail the world to afford one. But, don't let us step on your evil mastermind plans.

Vuzix Wrap 310 video eyewear actually isn't the ugliest thing of all time

by Darren Murph posted Sep 16th 2009 at 10:44AM

Could it be? Could it really be? Has Vuzix actually deployed a video eyewear solution that isn't completely unsightly in every imaginable way? Our eyes may be deceiving us, but we're going with "yes, amazingly" for the time being. Unlike the company's iWear line -- which looks pretty much exactly like the specs worn by Geordi La Forge -- the unpriced Wrap 310 resembles a set of sunglasses. Now, these aren't apt to be mistaken for Aviators or those patented Kayne joints, but at least you'd look halfway civilized if caught in public with these on your face. Packing a pair of video displays and promising a virtual 55-inch image, these get juiced by just two AA cells and can play nice with pretty much any video source, iPod and iPhone included. There's also an expansion port that'll give it VGA / component outputs in the near future, and if you subscribe to science fiction, it could also be used to read minds in around a score.

Gallery: Vuzix Wrap 310 video eyewear actually isn't the ugliest thing of all time

Continue reading Vuzix Wrap 310 video eyewear actually isn't the ugliest thing of all time

Optinvent promises to offer Clear Vu HMD for less than $200

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 2nd 2009 at 7:02PM

While some may say that price isn't the main factor that's been holding HMDs back from mass acceptance, France's Optinvent (a spin-off of Thomson S.A.) is apparently of that opinion, and it's now promising to deliver a full-fledged HMD for less than $200 by the end of next year. In addition to their trend-setting good looks (to be further refined in the final version), the company's so-called Clear Vu goggles make use of a reflection system that displays images in the wearer's field of vision rather than completely obstructing it, which the company says opens to the door a whole host of augmented reality possibilities -- like heads-up GPS directions, for instance. Unfortunately, the company isn't offering much in the way of actual specs just yet, although it does say the goggles will display an image size equivalent to a 71-inch TV placed 2.5 meters away.

Interactive data eyeglasses could bring the PC to your face, won't fix nearsightedness

by Darren Murph posted Jun 4th 2009 at 8:19AM

Leave it the mad scientists at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft to concoct this one. Rather than just figuring out a way to read back information in one-way fashion on one's glasses (think Sixth Sense, but with eyewear), these folks are diving right in to the real stuff: bidirectional communication. In essence, their goal for the interactive data eyeglasses is to track eye movement in order to allow ones retinas to scroll through menus, flip through options and zoom in / out on a map. Obviously, a microdisplay will be necessary as well, but that's just half the battle. We'll confess -- we're still not humble enough to take our Vuzix HMD out in public, but we just might swap our Transitions™ for a set of these.

[Via OLED-Display]

New cable brings iPhone, 3D support to Vuzix eyewear

by Darren Murph posted Apr 2nd 2009 at 7:38PM

We know your pain, Vuzix users. You hop on the subway just trying to enjoy a little in-your-face action before the workday begins, and within minutes the accusations and stereotypes start flying. "Look, it's Geordi La Forge!" "LeVar Burton, what's good?!" "Can I try my Zune on that?" Depressing, really. Unfortunately for you, Vuzix's latest cable will not make any of that any more sufferable, though it will enable you to use your existing eyewear with Apple's iPhone and enjoy the spoils of side-by-side, interlaced and anaglyph 3D content. Said cable will be bundled in with the company's iWear AV230XL, though existing customers will definitely want to snag the standalone version for $39.95. The full release is after the break.

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Vuzix dips toes in augmented reality, makes video eyewear cool again

by Darren Murph posted Mar 25th 2009 at 2:43PM

Nintendo ain't the only company making waves at the Game Developers Conference this year -- oh no, we've also got Vuzix gettin' down and dirty with a brand new addition to its video eyewear segment. Said outfit has teamed up with metaio in order to showcase a new Augmented Reality Accessory Kit for the VR920 head-mounted display. The bundle will include the CamAR -- a clip-on USB camera that is designed to accurately track objects and the user's position in three-dimensional space -- along with the PhasAR wireless augmented reality input controller. When these are used in unison, users are able to simultaneously see what's going on in the Matrix and in the display. For instance, imagine reading a book that's tied into a program on the VR920; as you read along, images can pop up and complement the text. Far out, right? The full release is after the break, and we've been told that the attachment should sell for around $100 on top of the $399 VR920 when it ships around mid-Summer.

Continue reading Vuzix dips toes in augmented reality, makes video eyewear cool again

Nikon announces Media Port UP300x head-mounted PMP

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 7th 2008 at 9:53AM

Just when we were getting used to having most Nikon announcements thoroughly preceded by a flood of leaks, the company's managed to totally surprise us by introducing a new head-mounted display with PMP features -- and it actually looks pretty sweet. The WiFi-enabled 8GB Media Port UP UP300x has a .44-inch 640 x 480 screen that appears to be the equivalent of a 50-inch image viewed from about 10 feet away, and includes a motion sensor that allows media functions to be controlled through head movements. (There's also a "basic" 4GB UP300 that omits the motion control features.) Codec support is pretty slim, but there's a browser app and a new UP media store that allows for direct downloads. Two AA batteries will last for two hours of video or 270 minutes of audio, which should be enough time for you to look thoroughly like a dork, but we won't lie -- we'd buy one of these in a heartbeat if they ever make it out of Japan.

[Via Akihabara News]

MyVu Crystal a worthy travel companion, available now

by Darren Murph posted Jun 25th 2008 at 8:01AM

Surely you remember Veronica Belmont posing with the MyVu Crystal / Shades at CES earlier this year? Yeah, the former unit is finally available to order for the three people in attendance who care, and better still, a recent review by PC World asserts that this thing actually isn't a half bad travel companion. Imagery was said to be "crystal-clear" (har) and battery life was more than reasonable, but look, even the reviewer admitted that he "wouldn't be caught walking down the street" with 'em on. Purchase accordingly.

Myvu's Shades 301 iPod Edition gets hands-on treatment

by Darren Murph posted May 10th 2008 at 8:53PM

Surely you remember that Solo Plus HMD that Myvu aimed at iPod owners late last year? Wait, what? You purged that from your memory as soon as you saw it? Ah well, looks like you'll be on yet another blotting mission after peeking this, as the aforesaid outfit has delivered yet another option for those looking to check out iPod clips on their own personal theater and destroy any chance at garnering friends. The Shades 301 iPod Edition, which is set to cost two Benjamins, actually looks quite different (and dare we say, a smidgen better) than the Solo Plus, and reportedly comes bundled with a pair of Ultimate Ears earbuds, detachable Dock Connector cable, remote, integrated battery and a two-piece cable manager for its neck cabling. If you're inexplicably overcome with an urge to see more, you can check out a brief hands-on by following the read link below.

Apple files for head-mounted laser display patent, death of style imminent

by Nilay Patel posted Apr 17th 2008 at 2:34PM

Dorks we may be, but we're just not ready for head-mounted displays to hit the mainstream -- which is why this patent application for laser-based headgear from Apple makes us cringe just as hard as the MyVu product line. Apple wants to up the nerd factor immeasurably by putting all the image processing and generation hardware in a belt-clipped processing box, which will allow the glasses to shrink down and potentially be indistinguishable from regular glasses. Laser-generated images from the box are then transmitted to wedge optics in the glasses via a fiber optic cable, and hey -- you're watching The Office on your glasses with a processing box clipped to your belt. Can you say "coolest guy in school?" Yeah, didn't think so -- no amount of white plastic and brushed aluminum will ever make this okay. The application just went public today, so there's a long way to go before Apple actually gets this patent -- here's hoping we get a similarly long reprieve from ubiquitous head-mounted displays.

[Via Unwired View]

Omni-directional treadmill allows individuals to sashay through virtual cities

by Darren Murph posted Apr 12th 2008 at 1:32PM

Though not the first omni-directional treadmill we've ever seen, this version crafted for the EU-funded CyberWalk Project is entirely more interesting. The 6- x 6-meter device features an active walking area of 4.5- x 4.5-meters, and later this month, individuals anxious to prance through a virtual city will be able to strap on a head-mounted display, lace up their LA Lights and indulge in escapism. Aside from giving curious persons the ability to walk through a recreated version of ancient Pompeii, the device could also be used to meander through buildings not yet created or give firefighters a way to train without placing them in harm's way. Now, if only there was an option to dissolve into pixels and teleport to locales you find particularly intriguing, we'd be sold.

[Via Slashdot]

YelloMosquito delivers Qingbar Gp300: the wireless HMD

by Darren Murph posted Nov 26th 2007 at 11:32PM

Although you may not be familiar with YelloMosquito, chances are you're totally aware of the business that 22Moo is in. Turns out, the former is simply a division of the latter, which is busy boasting about the Qingbar Gp300. 'Course, we've known that completely wireless head-mounted displays were in the works, but YM is claiming that these unsightly things are the world's first cordless LCOS video glasses to feature a built-in media player complete with DivX support. Reportedly, users can enjoy getting mocked while watching a 50-inch virtual screen, and they can load up their files via the built-in miniSD slot. If you just can't resist the urge to relive your Virtual Boy glory days, you can pre-order the December-bound unit now for $299 -- otherwise, you'll be laying down a Benjamin more (or smartly saving a mint) when it ships en masse.

[Image courtesy of YelloMosquito]

RelaxView 5.0 Dental Pack distracts from pain, does not clean teeth

by Evan Blass posted Oct 25th 2007 at 10:24AM

In a clever bit of marketing designed to play to our deepest fears of oral torture at the hands of a disgruntled hygienist, Dutch manufacturer relaxView B.V. is bundling a head-mounted display with a portable DVD player and offering it up to dentists as a way to distract their ~~victims~~ patients from the unbearable pain. The RelaxView 5.0 Dental Pack combines the company's relaxView 3.0 HMD (simulates a 1.5-meter VGA screen at a distance of three meters), unnamed model of Discman, and "disposable hygiene set" (read: pack of alcohol swabs) into a package that differentiates itself by promising "optimum comfort" derived from a 65-gram weight and adjustable nose support. Not too shabby: if we had the rate our options in these situations, we'd pick watching a movie just ahead of staring at the colorful exam room artwork, and just behind a heavy drugging.

Shimadzu DataGlass 3/A: the HMD for Cyclops

by Darren Murph posted Jul 20th 2007 at 9:49AM

Another day, another fancy head mounted display vying for your hard-earned dollars. This time around it's Shimadzu, and rather than hanging the pirates and cycloptic individuals in the crowd out to dry, the DataGlass 3/A is designed to only ~~interfere~~ utilize one eye. Interestingly, this USB-powered iteration is also dust- and water-proof in case you're desperate to view a virtual screen whilst signing in the rain, and can also be connected to your PC or handheld device via a standard VGA cable. No word on price just yet, but be sure and check out the video listed in the read link to quell your excitement.

[Via I4U]