Fresh ideas have always been welcomed with a lot of praise and craze. Something revolutionary like Google Glass was assumed to take the world by storm, but unfortunately, it could not. The probable reason being – Google Glasses made people look geeky and it seemed as if they were cosplayers. Other brands have been trying to deliver augmented reality (AR) with all its smart features by packing them into more ordinary-looking frames. The newest company to take this path is a start-up called Human Capable Inc. Their latest Norm Glasses might look like normal wayfarers, but surprisingly they are not!
The undistinguished black-framed glasses may seem ordinary, but they comprise of unbelievable features. They weigh only 36 g and can be folded just like regular shades. With three available sizes, these glasses can be installed with any prescription lenses. The simple Norm frames consist of a battery, microphone, memory, storage, optical system and CPU, and that is not all. There is a camera in the front and, of course, a pair of speakers right by your ears. Now, information is always with you without extra hassle.
The features are everything AR glasses should have. Norm pops up websites, email, videos, text messages, navigation instructions, language translations and social media feeds as a head-up display. The glasses can shoot videos and photos, storing them until transferred to other devices. Also, it scans QR and barcodes.
What other characteristics do the Norm glasses consist of? You can listen to music and make phone calls, thanks to the in-built speakers. However, since the speakers are open, anybody withing 0.5 m can hear it too. The glasses run Android OS and some of its features can also run offline. Voice commands can control Norm; so can head gestures, a phone app or a touchpad on the temple.
Just like every other digital device, battery life is of utmost importance. According to the company, Norm lasts through constant use of 4 to 5 hours, and can easily function for one or two whole days of normal usage.
Undoubtedly, Norm is not the first one to try presenting AR glasses in a new way. There are others like the nReal Light, which conceal the features inside more sober eyewear, while the Magic Leap One takes a more space-age approach. With all the different viewpoints, the almost-forgotten smart glass trend is likely to spring back up, as the likes of Sony, Microsoft, Bose, Google and others are diving into it.
Human Capable Inc’s Norm is presently being funded by Kickstarter, reaching its US$15,000 target and raising more than $265,000 even when 28 days of the campaign remain. If everything goes accordingly, the first phase of shipping will start in January 2020, with pledges starting at just $369.
