How Do AR Glasses Work? — All You Need to Know

The current life we live right now is something that humans before us have never even imagined in their wildest dreams. We have come so far from the first television that was invented in September of 1927 to the first motion film “Round Hay Garden Seen” of 1888 to the first movie with sounds, The Jazz Singer, in 1927.

The evolution of cinematic entertainment has slowly progressed as more and more technology is invented. And now as we live in a more digital age, more sophisticated technologies are being developed. And there is no sign of it stopping soon.

Sci-Fi writer Arthur C. Clark once said “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. And this is very much relatable now more than ever, now that we are currently in this day and age of mechanization. If time travel is really allowed and we bring a smartphone to the past, there’s a possibility you will be called an alchemist, a wizard, a magician.

Because such wonders in the past can only be explained by magic. But since we are in the 21st century, our everyday lives are governed by “magic” that we can find all over the world.

One such magic that has taken the world by storm is augmented reality glasses or simply AR. It has been a widely favorite gift request from kids and child-alike. In hindsight, AR is a kind of technology that augments or enhances the physical environment on a screen or device by overlaying them with digitally incorporated contents.

With the ever-increasing demands for smart mobile devices and the continuous upgrade in their capabilities, augmented reality has pierced through the lives of humans and how we function every day. It has become an interactive option that we can use from buying things online to studying.

Brief History of AR Glasses

Would you believe me if I tell you that AR glasses or Augmented Reality were used even as early as 1968?

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A Harvard professor and computer scientist named Ivan Sutherland created a head-mounted apparatus called “The Sword of Damocles”. The user of the said invention experienced computer-generated graphics that enhanced their sensory preceptors. This early gadget shows a three-dimensional wire-frame virtual room that the wearer can use to explore by moving their heads.

It was in 1990 when Tom Caudell, a Boeing researcher, conceived the term “augmented reality”. From then on, more and more advancements have been made and the simple device is now a full-blown technological wonder that gives anyone who uses it a wonderful experience beyond their beliefs.

And as we become more dependent on our devices, AR has transformed itself into many different forms, not just accessible when you are wearing the AG glasses. Even the Snapchat Dog Filter is powered by AR. Many developers have adopted the AR technology for their own programs and it has proven to be an excellent merging of technologies.

How Do Augmented Reality Glasses Work?

First and foremost, the magic of augmented reality glasses is merely a mixture of advanced science and the ingenious use of our own mind’s ability to interpret the things we see and also its weakness to be tricked by virtual stimuli.

Augmented reality glasses are a combination of technologies and extra items that will trick the brain into thinking we are inside of a different reality. These devices are worn like regular glasses but are a lot more advanced since they merge virtual information with physical information in the user’s view field.

Also Read: Augmented Reality Trends To Watch Out

Basics of the AR Glasses

There are basically 4 important parts that the AR glasses follow for the user to see what they see. These phases are strictly followed for the process to go as it should.

The AR solution uses the camera on a smartphone, tablet, or head-mounted display, to capture what is in the environment.
After the images have been sent by the camera, AR will then select pieces of the environment in which to place the overlay icons using infrared, GPS, or sensors.
When the points are finally determined, an augmented reality solution furtherly overlays environmental objects and icons that the user will see once they use it.
When all images are in place and the environment setup is completed, the AR will then make the whole image smooth and life-like and is ready for viewing.

AG Glasses Components

● Display

Also known as the combiner, this part of the display combines glass lenses that make the light pass on through to the eyes with digital OLED or LED displays which then show the computer-generated images to the user.

This means when someone is wearing augmented reality glasses, they actually are seeing the real world outside and the computer-generated images inside. And they are combined to make it look like you are inside a different reality within your own surroundings.

● Camera

Augmented reality relays digital contents onto a camera feed, which then in turn makes it look like to the user that they are part of the physical world around them.

AR can make the user feel like, for example, they are inside their own house redecorating to see which furniture should go where. And these are all possible because of what the camera is feeding the AR system. This is achieved by using what we call “computer vision”.

● Icons and Images

These registrations show the users the things they need to see. These icons placed in markers are the reason why you suddenly see a dog or a tree in the backyard augmented reality. They are the essential part of the experience because this is where the user can be interactive.

The rendering module augments the original frame, like for example for the dog. It uses the three-dimensional position and orientation of the image and makes it one with the environment.

Conclusion

Augmented Reality Glasses are a wonderful way of being able to live in a virtual reality world where you can do a lot of stuff that is impossible in the real world. It has been invented to make people’s lives easier by showing them an alternate vision of what they want to see. And it has helped a lot of individuals because of its unique capabilities.

So, if you want to be part of this enhanced world where everything is possible, get yourself an AR Glass now and see for yourself why lots and lots of people are using it, not just for entertainment, but also for enhancing their lives.