Comically enough, these aren't the first sunglasses we've seen with a hidden camera built right in, but for those who don't need full motion video to catch someone red-handed, this much cheaper alternative should certainly do the trick. As you can tell from the not-at-all-noticeable modules flanking the sides, there's a 1.3-megapixel camera up there along with a rechargeable Li-ion, 1GB of storage and a pair of earbuds to keep the elevator music going even after you reach the eleventh floor. You'll also find USB 2.0 connectivity and a remote control for slyly snapping shots, but really, if you roll into a debutante ball with these gracing your face, expect your cover to be blown in record time.

[Via The Red Ferret Journal]

Just as expected, Lumus-Optical is all set to showcase its microdisplay-packin' spectacles at CES, and while it doesn't seem that the technology has changed since we first heard of them, we've now got a slew of photographs to go by. Apparently, the glasses will boast twin microdisplays and an ultra-thin LOE lens, which can purportedly immerse the wearer by creating the effect of viewing a 60-inch screen from ten feet away. Also of note, the company claims that unlike gaudy alternatives, these won't make you look like a complete tool, but judging by the image above, we aren't so sure that's entirely accurate.

Read - Press release [PDF]
Read - Photos

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]

Look away sheeple, myvu has chucked aside the iPod exclusivity and any hopes of capitalization with their new universal edition eyewear. Available this month for $199, the universal brings the myvu simulated big-screen viewing effect to Archos, Creative Zen, and Zune players specifically in addition to the generic media player, camcorder, and cellphone of your choice. At least within the limits of the included connectivity kit which covers "most" portable media players according to myvu. Yeah, all iPods supporting video will also be supported. Come now, you didn't think they'd stray too far from the money-teat did you?

Those who got a kick (ahem) out of MyDo's Bururu glasses will surely appreciate the firm's latest spectacles, which seem to function pretty much like Oakley's Thump sans the tint. The eyeSonics reportedly utilizes "bone conduction speaker equipment," non-slip arms, a 3.5-millimeter input (no Bluetooth?), and are set to arrive in four different colors. Interestingly enough, these bad boys aren't exactly cheap, and we'd probably just stick with separate devices before we coughed up the ¥38,000 ($336) required to neatly combine headphones and glasses.

[Via Impress]

It's no secret that we most any sane individuals give the gaudy head-mounted displays of today a hard time for being so socially destructive, but a pair of companies have unveiled separate creations that look to make these things a bit less noticeable when perched on your face. eMagin's prototype SVGA-3DS microdisplay (shown after the jump) comes in at a minuscule 0.44-inches, relies on OLED-on-silicon technology, touts impressively low power consumption, and can reportedly show off an 800 x 600 resolution image. Over in Japan, Scalar is back on the scene with its Teleglass T3-F, which projects a virtual image of a 28-inch display two meters ahead of the viewer. The device mounts on the arm of your glasses, sports a 0.24-inch WVGA transmissive LCD, operates nearly four hours on two AA batteries, only covers one eye (baby steps, folks), and is fully retractable for those times when you actually need to converse with people without completely frightening them away. eMagin's invention is still being tweaked before official release, but citizens residing across the seas can pick up Scalar's latest right now for a stiff ¥98,000 ($808).

[Via I4U]
Read - eMagin's SVGA-3DS microdisplay
Read - Scalar's Teleglass T3-F

It's getting to the point where some of these gadget-laced glasses providers are going to have to collaborate, as hauling around a suitcase full of variously useful specs is really getting rediculous. Joining the ever-growing fray is Arisawa Japan, whose i-Beam contraption functions as a less invasive head-mounted display by beaming a virtual "21-inch screen" of broadcast television right before your very eyes. The device itself weighs in at just ten grams, packs an external attachment to house the TV tuner and four AA batteries, and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack to boot. Of course, we'd probably recommend just snapping up a do-it-all GPS unit that handles television programming on the side, but hey, it's your ¥39,800 ($336) to do with as you please.

[Via Wired]

Looking to expand the moviegoing experience as much as possible -- especially in this day and age of 103-inch plasmas -- a research team at the University Carlos III of Madrid has unveiled an upgrade for the problematic rear-window captioning system currently used by the deaf: a glasses-mounted subtitle screen. Featuring a three hour battery life and a 50 meter range, the little clippy-screen isn't as hard-core as some other enhanced vision devices we've seen, but there's something to be said for doing one job well. That range is pretty long though - no word yet on how the MPAA plans to deal with people sitting outside the the theater and reading the latest flicks for free.


[Via Xataka]

We've seen eyewear of just about every variety, and while we wouldn't necessarily recommend crafting your own over seeing an optometrist, Y4G3R's mechanical spectacles are probably better to look at than through. The brass-clad glasses resemble a mishmash of steampunk and modern DIY prowess, and while you may have seen a set similar to these worn in movies from decades ago, the mechanics here are likely superior. According to their creator, the "temple arms retract and the ear hoops pivot under for compact(ish) storage," and furthermore, "the bridge is spring loaded, extending another few centimeters when worn." So if you're curious to see just how neatly a pair of homegrown specs can plicate, click on through for the aftermath.

[Via Wired]

We'll admit, we didn't think MyDo's Bururu vibrating spectacles would be topped anytime soon, and while the University of Washington's smart sunglasses don't snatch the crown outright, they certainly make a solid case. The admittedly gaudy prototype certainly isn't the most attractive eyewear we've ever seen, but researchers are insisting that we focus on the electrochromic material that enables on demand color / tint changing rather than the bulky frames. The film can purportedly alter its transparency depending on the electric current that flows through it, essentially giving athletes and motorists an easy way to instantly adjust the level of reflection and tint depending on the ever-changing circumstances around them. Touted as "more active and more intelligent" that existing specs, this watch-battery-powered device allows the wearer to alter the shade by simply spinning a wee dial on the arm, and while we wish we could tell you that U-Dub's swank new specs would be arriving before the bright summer rays, it'll be quite "a few years" before these hit commercialization.

[Via Primidi]

While you risk onlookers pointing, staring, and occasionally tying your shoelaces together, wearing video glasses gives squinty eyes a rest and can really make the most of those small-screened devices. 22Moo has just released a slew of virtual viewers including the VG240, VG910, VG920, VG920D, PlayMate MMC, Argo, Argo+, Argo+Cinema, VG100K, and VG-350, simulating screens from 35-inches to a whopping 80-inches with the VGA VG920s, which can connect directly to the iPod Video and Zune. The Argo+ design is optimized for Wii gameplay while the VG-100Ks double as sunglasses -- an ideal choice if you're trying to avoid the Geordi La Forge look. These newbies look nearly identical to the last round, but at least the prices, at around $275, haven't shifted much either.

While there's no shortage of devices that force your eyelids to crack open in the morning, things can get a bit hairy for those late-night cram sessions when you must stay vigilant. As glasses become more like theaters, it's not entirely surprising to see Japan's Vision Optic Company adding superfluous functionality to your everyday spectacles. The vibrating eyewear, dubbed MyDo Bururu, automatically senses when the wearer's head tilts down to a certain angle, and depending on the level of sensitivity you have it set on, will begin to shake, rattle, and roll right up side your noggin until your face returns to an upright position (or you hurl the glasses across the room). Of course, there's no real substitute for a great night's rest, but sometimes duty calls at all times of the day (or night), so if you're a professional student who crams for exams entirely too much, you can hit a pair of these up for around ¥45,000 ($371) -- if you can stay awake long enough to order 'em, that is.

[Via PlasticBamboo]

While we admire the effort of those gaudy, unsightly microdisplay-equipped goggles to bring big screen theatrics to the front of your face, they aren't likely to win any style contests, nor help you garner any friendly attention. An Israeli company, dubbed Lumus-Optical, is looking to change all that by offering up a relatively normal looking set of spectacles with twin microdisplays and mini projectors. The firm's latest prototype boasts dual 640 x 480 resolution displays as well as a wee projector on the arm; the Lumus glasses can accept video inputs via an undisclosed connection, and projects an image akin to a "60-inch screen from 10 feet away." Its Light-guide Optical Element (LOE) technology allows the imagery to be reflected back on to the lenses so users can view them, all while being transparent enough to allow you to focus on the humans, trees, road block, or board room presentation ahead of you. Although it's easy to shrug gizmos like these off as gimmicky and unrealistic, we guess we'll have to see (ahem) for ourselves when these specs are demoed at CES.

Any gadget that enhances two of your senses at once is worth at least a mention in these pages, so we hereby present you with the not-completely-unattractive-looking Varibel hearing aid eyeglasses. The manufacturers would take issue with calling it a hearing aid, however, as regular in-ear models pick up conversations as well as ambient noise, while the four mics on each arm of Varibel's glasses supposedly separate the two types of sound, enhancing the former while dampening the latter. Developed by the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, these devices will initially be limited to a Dutch release, but because of Varibel's partnership with Phillips and Frame Holland, they may end up seeing a wider release. Integrate these with a pair of those bifocal-eliminating LCD glasses, and you've got something that actually makes us look forward to old age (well, kinda). [Warning: foreign language link, may be confusing to some.]

[Via Roland Piquepaille]