Chapter 788: Smart Glasses
Zhou Jiangping carefully pondered the structure and functions of this new device. Although he felt he was beginning to grasp Chen Mo’s intent, he was still somewhat puzzled.
From a hardware perspective, this device essentially fell between Plan 1 and Plan 3. It had far more features than a simple Bluetooth glasses, but it couldn’t boast too many high-end capabilities either. At the very least, reaching the level of a large-scale PC game would be quite difficult.
Zhou Jiangping said, “Well, there’s nothing wrong with this design, but I’m still a bit unclear. What exactly is the core difference between this plan and Plan 1 or Plan 2?”
Chen Mo smiled. “It lies in the device’s positioning. It’s more feature-rich than the Bluetooth glasses in Plan 1, but the key distinction from the portable VR headset in Plan 2 is that its main focus is on MR, not VR. In other words, it won’t get involved in the current VR gaming scene.”
“The core function of MR isn’t about gaming or entertainment; it’s about making real life more convenient.”
Zhou Jiangping’s eyes lit up.
Chen Mo continued, “This device has a camera on the front to capture the scene in the player’s field of view. Through this camera, it can scan real-world objects, estimate prices online, and measure length and distance. At the same time, this device can integrate most of the software functions of current smartphones. It won’t be an accessory to a phone; it can itself replace many of a phone’s functions.”
“Players can open web pages on the glasses, process text messages and emails, install smart software, enable navigation and maps, shop online, and so on.”
“Of course, you can also use it to listen to music or watch movies. The visual and audio effects might not be top-tier, but they’re certainly not bad either.”
“In some special scenarios, mixed reality will offer players more convenience. For example, while watching a ball game, players can see the stats of the player currently in possession and the scoreboard. Or, in certain settings, players can use these glasses with specialized simulation firearms for an explosive audiovisual gunfight... Of course, these features require further development, but they are entirely achievable from a technical standpoint.”
“At the same time, it can also integrate a translator function. When hearing other languages, it can translate them into a language you understand and relay them through earphones.”
“Looking further ahead, it could be equipped with a simple artificial intelligence system to help arrange your schedule, write memos, send automatic reminders, analyze certain problems, and even chat with you when you’re bored.”
“In terms of entertainment, it can host many MR games, offering a completely different kind of fun compared to current mobile games or VR games.”
Zhou Jiangping nodded repeatedly. “Right, so scenes from many sci-fi movies could actually become reality? A personal AI assistant for everyone? Sounds great! That said, the camera on the device could also support live streaming and recording functions, right?”
Chen Mo paused for a moment before saying, “Well... I wouldn’t actually recommend enabling live streaming and recording functions.”
Zhou Jiangping was taken aback. “Why? There’s no problem making these features, isn’t it a no-brainer to include them?”
Chen Mo said, “Because live streaming and recording functions carry the risk of infringing on others’ privacy. Simply put, most people would feel very uncomfortable if a stranger on the street pulled out a phone and started recording them, right? It’s the same logic. If the device is equipped with live streaming and recording, it’s like giving everyone a phone that can secretly film at any time, which would inevitably cause others to reject the device.”
“...That makes sense.” Zhou Jiangping suddenly realized.
Chen Mo said, “That’s just one issue. There are others, like pricing, energy consumption, heat generation, and so on. Only by solving all these problems can this product truly be brought to market. Given the current level of technology, it’s a bit challenging, but it can be done.”
Zhou Jiangping nodded. “Alright, I’ll arrange for people to start developing it according to your plan, Boss Chen. Oh, and about the games that will run on this thing...”
Chen Mo said, “Don’t worry, I’ll handle that.”
...
In fact, in Chen Mo’s previous life, some companies had researched similar wearable devices, like the once-popular Google Glass.
But Google Glass ultimately failed. It was born in an era that wasn’t its own.
There were many problems with Google Glass.
It was too expensive. The battery life was too short. It overheated severely during use.
Only one eye could see the screen, and the viewable area was too small. Looking at the screen in the upper right corner made users appear as if they were rolling their eyes, seriously harming their image.
There were too few related applications, and software development was difficult.
Many people felt it invaded their privacy, and those who wore it in public were even called “Glassholes.”
Another critical issue was poor interactivity.
Google Glass used voice, touch, and gestures for interaction. That meant to give commands to the glasses, users had to speak or make gestures—functions that phones already fully possessed. Google Glass lacked smart image recognition or mind-reading capabilities, so it was never particularly convenient to use, and it couldn’t effectively differentiate itself from phone functions.
In other words, it was very expensive, but there was no area where it comprehensively outperformed a phone—not even in cool factor.
So, if the technology level hadn’t advanced, Chen Mo would never have chosen to make similar glasses, because they would be doomed to fail.
But now, the emergence of micro mind-reading devices made such wearable technology possible.
The smart glasses Chen Mo wanted to create would have the entire lens as a display. Information would be mixed directly with the real-world scene and shown across the player’s entire field of view, rather than just a portion of the screen. Interaction could directly read the player’s thoughts, making the glasses very quick to use. This was something a phone could never achieve, because the mind-reading device had to be close to the brain.
Moreover, by equipping the glasses with an AI system, they could intelligently recognize the player’s current environment. If the player was in a chaotic traffic situation, the AI in the glasses would automatically lock certain functions to prevent danger caused by impaired vision or hearing.
As for the problem of too few applications, once the device became widespread, countless IT companies would inevitably develop apps for the glasses.
At the same time, disabling the camera’s recording function would effectively protect others’ privacy, preventing people from developing a resistance to the device.
As for pricing, battery life, and heat generation... In the parallel world, technology was more advanced, so these issues had corresponding solutions. Chen Mo also had some hardware knowledge. Based on his estimates, the smart glasses would be priced between 1,500 and 3,000 yuan (with different models and configurations), with a battery life of 6 to 12 hours (6 hours with continuous high-power applications, 12 hours with normal use).
Additionally, the glasses could be folded when not in use and carried in a bag.
In other words, the problems that plagued Google Glass in his previous life could all be solved under the technological conditions of the parallel world.