According to a recent report, Qualcomm and Microsoft are working on custom chips for the next generation of AR glasses. While the Pico-projector is in its infancy, it will soon be a household item as more people are beginning to adopt the technology. As far as consumers are concerned, this will have a significant impact on the tech industry, with more people able to make use of it due to having lower levels of investment from the purchase price and effort required from fitting it into their lives. This increase in accessibility means that other smart storage products such as cameras or computers could also benefit from this technology.
Where Did It Begin?
Qualcomm started working on the project that would become the Pico-projector in 2013. The vision for the first generation of Pico-projectors was a simple one, to create a device that could be fitted into an AR glasses design. This self-contained screen would beam images onto any surface a user pointed it at. The product was unveiled at CES 2013 and displayed how the technology could be used outside of headphones and monitors, this included being projected onto glasses frames to display information on them such as run times or messages. According to Qualcomm, “It’s designed to fit into a lightweight pair of glasses you may already wear. Or attach it to a pair of sunglasses for mobile computing.”
At the time of the unveiling, it was noted that the Pico-projector is not a new product type, in fact, it is very similar to other products such as Projector Glasses and smart glasses. However, Qualcomm is now looking to craft its own version of this product for consumers due to the lack of options currently available on the market. The company already offers chipsets for smartphones and tablets and could be looking at creating custom chips for AR glasses that can fit into a point-of-view (POV) camera. It could even be used in smart storage products such as a computer or camera, but these would require further work due to the power needs of this technology.
Why The Partnership For Ar Glasses?
It is important to note that Qualcomm is not entering into a partnership with Microsoft in order to capitalize on its products. In fact, they were never in direct contact with Microsoft regarding the manufacturing of their Pico-projector because they were focusing on the product itself. However, they worked with Microsoft when it came to the design of their glasses and had them sign a letter of intent which was re-confirmed in April 2014. The agreement between Qualcomm and Microsoft specifies that until November 2016, both companies will work together with a focus on developing software for the Pico-projectors and other related products.
Takeaway:
Although the Pico-projectors are in their infancy, they are an example of how technology is changing how we consume media. This will have a huge impact on consumers and businesses, especially those with less knowledge of the tech industry. For example, people with a higher level of digital investing may not have considered investing in smart glasses due to the low level of investment for the product. However, with this technology coming to market it could make smart glasses much more accessible.
Author Bio – Ombir is an SEO Executive at eRank Solutions. He is an SEO writer who has 2 years of experience in these respective fields. He loves spending his time doing research on different topics.
