# Meta’s AR Glasses: A Peek into the Future of Augmented Reality
During Meta Connect 2024, CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced Meta’s initial public prototype for augmented reality (AR) glasses, codenamed **Orion**. These glasses signify a remarkable advancement in AR technology, merging the finest features of Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses with the sophisticated user interface (UI) and wireless power functions found in the Meta Quest range. Although these glasses are not yet ready for consumers, they provide an exciting preview of what AR technology can achieve.
## The Progression of Meta’s AR Glasses
Meta’s path toward AR glasses has been lengthy and fraught with obstacles. In 2023, it was reported that Meta faced difficulties in making its AR technology accessible to consumers. Nonetheless, the optimism among Meta’s engineers prevailed, as they asserted that their AR glasses would be as groundbreaking for AR as the Oculus Rift was for virtual reality (VR). Now, in 2024, Meta is presenting its Orion prototype to select external audiences, indicating progress toward a future product for consumers.
## Meta’s AR Glasses: The Union of Ray-Bans and Quest
Meta’s AR glasses are fundamentally a combination of the well-known **Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses** and the **Meta Quest 3** VR headset. Envision the elegant design of Ray-Ban smart glasses, enhanced with cameras, music streaming features, and Meta’s AI technology. Now, imagine them being slightly bulkier and heavier, incorporating sophisticated features such as **uLED projectors**, **eye-tracking cameras**, and **lightweight silicon carbide lenses**.
The glasses operate with a **wallet-sized computing puck** that manages processing and battery tasks. This puck utilizes the same **6DoF (six degrees of freedom) tracking** and operating system that are part of Meta’s Quest headsets, facilitating window-pane apps with spatial anchors that remain in mixed reality. These apps stay fixed within the user’s environment instead of being confined to their line of sight.
Ultimately, Meta’s AR glasses meld the best of both realms: the fashionable, everyday wearability of Ray-Bans and the robust, immersive features of the Quest lineup.
## State-of-the-Art Features and Wireless Power
One of the most remarkable aspects of Meta’s AR glasses is their **wireless power** functionality. Unlike many current AR prototypes that depend on a wired link to a smartphone or external device, Meta’s glasses employ technology akin to **Quest Air Link** to obtain data remotely from the pocket puck. This arrangement provides **all-day battery life**, marking a considerable enhancement over other AR glasses that often last only a few hours.
The glasses incorporate **custom silicon** that operates on just a few dozen milliwatts of energy, supporting efficient **simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)** technology. This capability ensures that the glasses effectively track the user’s eyes and gestures without the risk of overheating.
## Gesture Control Through Neural Interface Technology
Meta’s AR glasses elevate gesture control through the inclusion of an **electromyography (EMG) neural interface wristband**. This wristband, resembling a typical fitness device, senses minute muscle movements in the user’s wrist to decode gestures. For instance, users can select items from menus by pinching their fingers, scroll by forming a fist and shifting their thumb, and execute additional shortcuts with ease.
During a demonstration, users could smoothly engage with various apps, such as making video calls, browsing Instagram, and checking messages, all with simple hand movements. The EMG band assures that even if the glasses’ cameras fail to capture a gesture, the wristband will still detect it.
## AR Gaming and Meta AI Integration
Meta’s AR glasses also open up thrilling prospects for **AR gaming**. In a demonstration, users engaged in a game of AR pong alongside a Meta representative, with the software shared between both pairs of glasses. While the current resolution and frame rate of the glasses might not yet approach the quality of the **Meta Quest 3’s mixed reality passthrough**, the potential for immersive AR gaming experiences is evident.
Furthermore, Meta’s AR glasses preserve the sought-after features of the Ray-Ban smart glasses, such as the ability to take photos, play music, and interact with **Meta AI**. Meta continues to enhance its AI functionality, with capabilities like **live translation** and **live-video AI interpretation** already integrated into Ray-Bans. These AI features are likely to progress as Meta strives toward a consumer-ready version of its AR glasses.
## Challenges and Areas for Growth
While Meta’s AR glasses denote a substantial advancement in AR technology, numerous challenges remain before they can be made available to the public.
### Weight and Comfort
One of the primary issues with the Orion prototype is its weight. At **93 grams**, the glasses are heavier than the **50-gram Meta Ray-Bans** and most other AR prototypes, which generally weigh around 75 grams. While the glasses are not excessively heavy compared to
