At the recent TED2025 conference, Google showcased its latest innovation in wearable technology: sleek smart glasses equipped with a heads-up display (HUD). Although the company clarified that these glasses are still in the conceptual phase, the demonstration offered a glimpse into the potential future of augmented reality (AR) devices. Shahram Izadi, Google's Android XR lead, took the stage along with his colleague Nishtha Bhatia to present the glasses and discuss the capabilities of Google's Gemini multimodal conversational AI system.
The smart glasses feature a built-in camera, microphones, and speakers, similar to the popular Ray-Ban Meta glasses. However, what sets them apart is their tiny, high-resolution, full-color display embedded within the right lens. During the demo, the display was observed to be monocular, refracting light at specific angles, which suggests a small field of view. This innovative design aims to enhance user experience while interacting with digital content in real-time.
Central to the demonstration was Google’s Gemini AI system, particularly its Project Astra feature. This capability allows the AI to continuously encode video frames, thereby remembering what it sees and combining video and speech inputs into a coherent timeline. This enables efficient recall of information, making interactions more intuitive and fluid. During the presentation, several engaging examples highlighted Gemini's impressive functionality:
Basic Multimodal: Bhatia asked Gemini to create a haiku based on her surroundings, to which it responded poetically. Rolling Contextual Memory: After glancing away from a shelf, Bhatia inquired about a white book, and Gemini accurately identified its title. Complex Multimodal: While holding a book, Bhatia asked about a diagram, and Gemini provided a correct explanation. Translation: Bhatia pointed to a Spanish sign, and without any context, Gemini translated it into English, showcasing its multilingual capabilities. Multi-Language Support: Bhatia communicated in Hindi, and Gemini responded fluently, demonstrating seamless language switching. Taking Action: By looking at a physical music album, Bhatia prompted Gemini to play a track on her phone, illustrating integration with mobile devices. Navigation: Bhatia requested navigation to a nearby park, and Gemini displayed both 2D and 3D maps to guide her.This is not the first instance of Google showcasing smart glasses with a HUD. A previous demonstration at Google I/O 2024 featured a bulkier version of the technology, indicating ongoing efforts in miniaturization. Despite the advanced features displayed, Izadi emphasized that the current presentation is merely conceptual, with no specific product announcements or timelines in place.
In addition to Google, Samsung is reportedly developing a competitor to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, integrating Google’s Gemini AI, although it's yet to be confirmed if it will include a HUD. Meanwhile, Meta is set to launch its own smart glasses with a HUD later this year, which are anticipated to utilize multimodal AI similar to Google's, but will also feature gesture controls through a specialized wristband.
Additionally, tech giant Apple is rumored to be working on its smart glasses, aiming for a 2027 release. With the Ray-Ban Meta glasses recently surpassing 2 million units sold, the competition among these tech giants is heating up. Each company is vying for dominance in the smart glasses market, which promises to be a battleground for AI integration and augmented reality capabilities.
As these innovations evolve, consumers can expect a surge in products that not only enhance daily tasks but also redefine how we interact with the world around us. The race for advanced smart glasses is just beginning, and the future looks promising.
