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Lumus and eyeSight deal brings gesture control to DK-40 smart glasses hand-on
Imagine a pair of Smart Glasses that you didn't need to fondle just to dismiss notifications, or worse, speak out loud to like a crazy. It's that exact thought that brought Lumus and eyeSight together. If you know each company's respective products, you don't have to imagine too hard what's going on, but if you don't? Basically Lumus makes a Google Glass-like product that has a see-through display in one lens that shows notifications, calendar entries and so on. EyeSight makes software that allows gesture control through existing cameras (like that one in your laptop or phone), and has, for example, just penned a deal with Oppo that sees the software baked into its phones' native controls (wave to browse the gallery, etc.). The collaboration between Lumus and eyeSight was announced here at MWC, and we just swung by to take a look. The Lumus glasses we saw back at CES are unchanged, but this time around, you can dismiss email and social media notifications (for example) with a simple flick, or pull out reminders and calendar entries from the side with a swipe. We were mighty impressed with how well it worked, and how fluid and responsive the interaction was. Of course, this is only a simple demonstration of what is possible, but it's not hard to imagine more creative applications for it further down the line (games, media control, etc.). Of course, some might argue that waving around in the empty space in front of you is no less conspicuous than talking to yourself, but once you've tried it for yourself, we think you'll agree it's a much easier way to interact with a HUD than an out-of-sight touchpad or unreliable voice command. Lumus still hasn't confirmed commercial plans for its glasses, so it could be a while before you decide for yourself. Steve Dent contributed to this report.
Lumus turns its military-grade eyewear into a Google Glass competitor (video)
Lumus has long developed heads-up displays for the US military, but now it's using a developer kit called the DK-40 to bring its HUD tech to wearables outside the battlefield. The contraption's first stop was the CES show floor, so we couldn't resist putting our fingerprints all over it. The key feature of the DK-40 is the "optical engine", which eliminates the need for a thick piece of glass to house a substantially sized prism. For the most part, the lens is transparent, but refracting light can occasionally catch the prisms and remind you (again) that it's not run-of-the-mill eyewear. And as if one display wasn't enough, the firm says it's possible to add a second one for the left eye. Folks with eyesight issues can attach a pair of prescription lenses that rest on the nose grips, but the firm is also developing a version where the medically prescribed glass will be bonded to the lenses.
Lumus reveals classy two-tone Glass competitor with in-lens display
Lumus is a heads up display (HUD) manufacturer better known for its military-grade products, some of which have been deployed in US Air Force F-16 and A-10 helmets. Its latest effort, the DK-40 dev kit, is an attempt to steer its tech toward the consumer market. And yes, it looks a lot like Google Glass. But instead of projecting notifications on the outskirts of your peripheral vision, the entire right lens of Lumus' Android-powered eyewear is a 640 x 480 see-through display. The DK-40 also includes a motion sensor and 5-megapixel camera necessary for a true AR experience. Though its sleek design is more socially acceptable than its fighter pilot headgear, Lumus doesn't intend to mass-produce anything just yet. The glasses are still deep in development stages, harboring only 1-2 hours worth of battery life. Instead, the company simply wants to promote the adoption of its lens technology. The entire monocular kit and SDK will debut at CES 2014, but won't ship to OEMs and "select developers" until the end of Q1 2014.
