How to choose
Smart Glasses: What they are and how to choose the right model
Smart Glasses are mini computers shaped like eyeglasses.
They are easy to wear devices that allow the user to receive information directly through the lenses and experience Augmented Reality leaving the hands free.
The overlay of information on a field of view is achieved through an Optical Heads-up Mounted Display (OHMD), or built-in wireless glasses with a transparent heads-up display (HUD) or Augmented Reality (AR) overlay.
These systems have the ability to transmit projected digital images as well as allowing the user to see through it, seeing the objects in front of them or the surrounding environment at the same time.
While the first models can perform basic tasks – such as serving as a front-end display for a remote system, which is the case of Smart Glasses using mobile or Wi-Fi technology – the latest generation of wearable devices can run independently from mobile apps.
Some models have a controller or a touchpad, while other more recent ones can be activated and used thanks to voice commands.
Like most computers, Smart Glasses can collect information from internal and external sensors (for example, a thermal camera), can retrieve data from other devices or computers, and can support wireless technology like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
A limited number of models adopt a mobile operating system and can be used as portable media players to play audio and video files.
Some Smart Glasses are equipped with GPS location and activity tracking features – as in the fitness trackers of some GPS watches – and may also have features you can usually find on common smartphones.
Main Smart Glasses benefits and features
Benefits
- Hands-free work
- Improved safety in high-risk workplaces
- Real time sharing of wearer’s point-of-view
- Increased focus at work & multitasking
Features
- Augmented Reality
- Audio-video recording
- Vocal and gesture control
- GPS tracking
5 tips for choosing the most suitable
Smart Glasses for you
How to find the right Smart Glasses for your company needs?
Read our guide!
- What are the benefits of a monocular device?
The monocular Smart Glasses are: the Realwear (HMT-1, HMT-1Z1, Navigator 500, Navigator 520 , Navigator Z1 and Arc 3), Vuzix (M300XL, M400, M4000, Blade , Blade 2 and LX1), Moziware Cimo and Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2.
Monocular Smart Glasses have a single display, and some of these models can be stacked seamlessly on top of prescription or business glasses. Usually, they have a more advanced operating system, which is why the latest generations of Smart Glasses adopt this design. By having a single screen for only one eye, the device is unobtrusive and allows the user to continue working without distraction and in complete safety.
The monocular models can be controlled with voice commands, ensuring maximum efficiency and freedom of movement for the wearer.
- What are the benefits of a binocular device?
All models in the Epson Moverio family (BT-300, BT-350, BT-35E, BT-35E Solution Pack, BT-40, BT-40S and BT-45CS) and the Vuzix Shield are binocular Smart Glasses.
The main characteristic of these devices is the goggle shape: in fact, they have a more traditional design and are usually lighter and more intuitive to use. They are ideal if you need a large viewing area or a 3D experience.
Being wearable devices, Smart Glasses need to be comfortable for the wearer.
Their weight changes depending on the manufacturer and model: among the lightest, weighing between about 50 and 150 grams, are the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, the Vuzix M400 and M4000, the Vuzix Blade, the Epson BT-300, BT-350 and BT-35E, and the Moziware Cimo. Among the less lightweight models, which are also designed to be used with a protective helmet, are the Epson Moverio BT-45 CS, which appear to be the heaviest on paper (about 550 grams for the headset) but with a design that allows the load to be distributed efficiently without causing discomfort, and the Realwear models (HMT-1, HMT-1Z1, Navigator 500, Navigator 520, and Navigator Z1), true high-performance, rugged wearable computers, perfect for more challenging contexts. In addition to performance, the Navigator series also optimized the weight of the Smart Glasses, down to about 270 grams of the Navigator 520.
Each model has different features in both design and technology.
For example, Smart Glasses such as the Moziware Cimo, the RealWear Navigator 520 and the Vuzix M400, with their lightweight construction and excellent audio and video quality, are well suited to uses in the medical, cultural, security, and inspection and survey sectors.
Other devices, on the other hand, are designed to be worn for much of the workday, and therefore need to be comfortable and match the other accessories that the worker uses such as safety glasses or work helmets (e.g., Epson Moverio BT-45 CS, Vuzix M4000 and M300XL, or RealWear models).
Some Smart Glasses, such as the Realwear HMT-1, Realwear HMT-1Z1, and the Navigator series, also have important water, dust, and drop resistance certifications for use in harsh environments such as tunnels and tunnels, over pylons, or inside a factory. Notably, the HMT-1Z1 and Navigator Z1 also have Atex Zone 1 certification.
A key feature of Smart Glasses is audio and video recording, which allows a field operator to show those remotely connected their point of view.
These devices are designed to transmit and store high-quality images and video, and the more advanced their optics, the better the Augmented Reality experience.
Brochesia offers a large assortment of Smart Glasses models, suitable for any industry, with high-definition displays and cameras: in this sense, the best performance is given by the latest Realwear Navigator 520 and Z1, both with 48-megapixel cameras and HD resolution. The performance of models such as RealWear Navigator 500 (also with 48 megapixels), Moziware Cimo with 16 megapixels and Vuzix M4000 with 12.8 megapixels is also very good.
The Smart Glasses controls can change depending on the model.
All the Epson Moverio Smart Glasses have a controller with a touchpad; the hands are not completely free but the glasses are less heavy on the head.
The Realwear and Moziware models allow different functions to be activated through voice commands. Simply speak the command, whatever the language. Addressing an international market, in fact, all Brochesia solutions are multilingual.
Vuzix Smart Glasses, on the other hand, in addition to the ability to use voice commands, also have a touchpad integrated into the frame of the glasses, and each feature is activated by touching the main unit of the device.
For further information about which languages are supported by each device, contact us
Compare the Smart Glasses supported by Brochesia
Check the technical features chart below
| Epson Moverio BT-300 | Epson Moverio BT-350 | Epson Moverio BT-35E SP | Epson Moverio BT-40 | Epson Moverio BT-40S | Epson Moverio BT-45CS | Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 | RealWear Navigator 500 | RealWear Navigator 520 | RealWear HMT-1 | RealWear HMT-1Z1 | RealWear Navigator Z1 | Vuzix M300XL | Vuzix M400 | Vuzix M4000 | Vuzix Blade | Vuzix Blade 2 | Vuzix Shield | Moziware Cimo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Moverio OS | Moverio OS | Android 9 | – | – | Android 10 | Android 8.1 | Android 11 | Android 11 | Android 10 | Android 8.1 | Android 12 | Android 6.0.1 | Android 11 | Android 11 | Android 5.1.1 | Android 11 | Android 11 | Android 10 |
| Internal memory | 16 GB | 16 GB | 64 GB | – | 64 GB | 64 GB | 32 GB | 64 GB | 64 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB | 128 GB | 64 GB | 64 GB | 64 GB | 8 GB | 40 GB | – | 32 GB |
| External memory | Slot MicroSD | 32 GB Embedded SD Card | Micro SD (2GB max), MicroSDHC (32GB max), MicroSDXC (2TB max) | – | Slot MicroSD | Micro SD (2GB max), MicroSDHC (32GB max), MicroSDXC (2TB max) | – | Slot MicroSD (max card supported 512GB) | Slot MicroSD (max card supported 512GB) | Slot MicroSD | Slot MicroSD | – | – | – | – | Slot MicroSD | – | – | – |
| RAM | 2 GB | 2 GB | 4GB | – | 4 GB | 4 GB | 3 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | 2 GB | 2 GB | 8 GB | 2 GB | 6 GB | 6 GB | 1 GB | – | – | 3 GB |
| CPU | Intel Atom X5 1.44GHz Quad-Core | Intel Atom X5 1.44GHz Quad-Core | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 | – | Qualcomm SXR1130 | Snapdragon XR1 2.52GHz Octa Core | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 1.7 GHz Quad-Core | 2.0 GHz 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 with Adreno 610 GPU | 2.0 GHz 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 with Adreno 610 GPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 2.0GHz 8-Core | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 2.0GHz 8-Core | Qualcomm® QCS6490 | Intel Atom Dual Core 2.4/5GHz | Qualcomm XR1 2.52/5GHz 8-Core | Qualcomm XR1 2.52/5GHz 8-Core | Arm Quad Core 2.4GHz | Quad Core ARM CPU | 8 Core CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 |
| Battery | Lithium-ION 2950 mAh | Lithium-ION 2950 mAh | Li-Polymer 3,400 mAh | – | Lithium Polymer 3,400 mAh | Li-Polymer 3,400 mAh | 800 mAh (2880 C) | 2,600 mAh / 10.0 Wh Li-polymer, rechargeable, hot-swappable | 2,600 mAh / 10.0 Wh Li-polymer, rechargeable, hot-swappable | Lithium-ION 3250 mAh | Lithium-ION 3400 mAh | 2550 mAh Li-Ion | 160 mAh internal + 860 mAh external | 135 mAh internal battery + 750 mAh | 135 mAh internal battery + 750 mAh | Internal LiPo rechargeable batteries 470 mAh | Internal LiPo rechargeable batteries | Batteries in each temples | 750 mAh |
| Display | Si-OLED | Si-OLED | Si-OLED | Si-OLED | Si-OLED | Si-OLED | 640 pixel x 360 pixel RGB | LCD 24-bit color | LCD 24-bit color HD 1280×720 | LCD 24-bit color | LCD 24-bit color | HD (1280×720) | nHD color | OLED | DLP WVGA color | Cobra II DLP based display / Vibrant full-color DLP | Wave Guide Display 480×480 color display | Display microLED monochrome green | WVGA 854 x 480 |
| Camera | Stereo camera 5MP | Stereo camera 5MP | 5 MP and 13 MP | – | 13 MP | 8MP Headset; 13MP Controller | 8 MP | 48 MP | 48 MP | 16 MP | 16 MP | 48 MP | 10 MP | 13 MP | 12.8 MP | 8 MP | 8 MP | 13 MP | Front 8MP; Main 16 MP |
| Sensors | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone; compass; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS; ambient light sensor | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone (controller); compass; accelerometer; gyroscope; ambient light sensor; GPS | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone; IMU – Head Movement Tracking 3 IMUs (including 3-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes, eCompass) | Microphone; IMU – Head Movement Tracking 3 IMUs (including 3-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes, eCompass) | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | GPS, bussola, giroscopio, accelerometro | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope | GPS, gyro, accelerometer, mag/integrated compass | – | Microphone; accelerometer; magnetometer; gyroscope; light sensor |
| Connectivity | WiFi; Bluetooth 4.1 | WiFi; Bluetooth 4.1 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 | – | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.1 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.1 | WiFi; Bluetooth 4.1 | WiFi; Bluetooth 4.1 | Wi-Fi 6 | WiFi; Bluetooth 4.1 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi; Bluetooth 4.1 | 5.0 and 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth wireless | Wi-Fi 802.11/b/g/n/ac 2.4/5GHz | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 |
Are you unsure of which device might be right for you?
Smart Glasses for companies
We have chosen Smart Glasses as primary devices for our solutions because we believe that the future of business is in the integration of production processes with wearable technology.
There are many possible business uses of Augmented Reality glasses and they can be applied to an increasing number of sectors, constantly becoming more and more essential.
The operator wearing the Smart Glasses has an “augmented” view of the surrounding environment: he can observe and share the reality that surrounds him, enriched by the information on what he sees, continuing to carry out his tasks with full freedom of movement and the possibility of sharing his point of view with a remote assistant.
Brochesia offers some wearable device models produced by its partners, carefully selected on the basis of the features they offer, in order to guarantee maximum software-hardware interaction and offer the best Augmented Reality experience to meet the business needs.