Smart glasses have great appeal, and not just because many of us secretly want to be Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2. Even without the motorcycle, however, it would be convenient to remain digitally connected as we walk, drive, and move through our day. Google Glass, the most well-known attempt at smart glasses, didn’t break through to the consumer market for everyday use after Developer Edition trials. Google Glass Enterprise Edition found a place in enterprise applications such as food inspection and EHR apps. Stanford’s Autism Glass project uses Google Glass to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) engage with others using augmented reality.
North recently released Focals smart glasses. Focals pair with your smartphone via Bluetooth and an iOS or Android app to display 110 by 110-pixel resolution color images via retinal projection. The images appear to be located a few inches in front of the Focals right lens, although they actually work by stimulating your retina directly.
Included with Focals, the Loop is a polycarbonate ring that also connects to your smartphone. The Loop acts as a 4-way joystick with press-to-click functionality that you use to navigate the Focals app. The Focals app allows you to configure selected smartphone applications and customize alerts and sounds.
According to North, you can use the Focals to view your calendar, location, and contacts as well as send and receive text messages. You can schedule a ride with Uber, speak with Alexa, and more. The app also allows you to use the Loop to capture Focals app screenshots and to take photos with your smartphone camera.
Focals run for up to 15 hours per battery charge and the Loop lasts up to 3 days per charge. An included charging case holds up to 3 full charges for the Focals.
Focals are available from permanent showrooms in Brooklyn and Toronto and pop-up stores in various cities. You can also download an iOS-only sizing app for Focals.
You can buy Focals with nonprescription or prescription lenses. There is only one frame style. The full kit includes the Focals glasses with black, tortoise, or gray shade frames, a Loop, clip-on sunglasses, and a charging case. Black Focals cost $599 with nonprescription lenses or $799 with prescription lenses. Tortoise and gray shade frames add $100 to the cost.
