How to choose
What are Smart Glasses?
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 over-layering of information on a field of view is obtained thanks to an Optical Display Mounted on the Head (OHMD), or built-in wireless glasses with transparent Heads-Up Display (HUD) or overlayered Augmented Reality (AR).
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 SGs models use 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?
Monocular Smart Glasses are: RealWear (HMT-1, HMT-1Z1), Vuzix (M300XL, M400, M4000 and Blade) and Google Glass (Enterprise Edition 2).
The monocular Smart Glasses have a single display, and some of these models can be easily overlapped on prescription glasses or safety goggles. Usually , they have a more advanced operating system and for such a reason, the latest generations of Smart Glasses adopt this design. Having a single screen for one eye makes them not bulky and allows you to continue working with no distraction.
- What are the benefits of a binocular device?
All the Epson Moverio devices (BT-300, BT-350, BT-35E, BT-35E Solution Pack, BT-40 and BT-40S) are binocular Smart Glasses.
The main feature of these devices is that they are shaped like eyeglasses: in fact, they have a more elegant design and are usually lighter and more practical to use. They are ideal if you need a wide field of view or want a 3D experience.
Smart Glasses are wearable devices, so they must be comfortable for the wearer.
The Smart Glasses’ weight changes according to the manufacturer and the model. The lightest, and with the most elegant and practical design, are the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, the Vuzix M400, the Vuzix Blade and the Epson Moverio BT-300. The less light models, designed mostly – but not only – to be used with the protective helmet, are the RealWear HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1, certified rugged and high-performance wearable computers, perfect for the most tough contexts.
Each Smart Glasses model has different features both in design and technology.
For example, Smart Glasses like Epson BT-350 and Vuzix M400, with a light body and excellent audio and video quality, are very suitable for the medical, cultural and security sectors, as well as survey and inspection activities.
Other devices are designed to be worn for most of the working day, making it necessary that they are comfortable (such as the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 and the Vuzix Blade) and adaptable to other accessories that the worker may use, such as safety goggles or safety helmets (for example, the Vuzix M4000 and the Vuzix M300XL).
Some Smart Glasses, such as the RealWear HMT-1 and the RealWear HMT-1Z1, also feature important water, dust and falls resistant certifications, and they can therefore be used in harsh environments such as tunnels, on pylons or in a factory.
One of the Smart Glasses’ main features is the audio and video recording, which allows on-field workers to show their field of view to those connected remotely.
These devices are designed to transmit and save high quality pictures and videos, and the more advanced their optics, the better the Augmented Reality experience will be.
Brochesia offers a wide rage of Smart Glasses models, suitable for every sector, with high-definition displays and cameras: in this regard, the RealWear HMT-1 and RealWear HMT-1Z1 with 16-megapixel camera, the Epson Moverio BT-40S with 13-megapixel camera and the Vuzix M400 and the Vuzix M4000 with 12.8-megapixel give the best performances.
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.
Alternatively, most of the Vuzix Smart glasses have a touchpad placed directly on the frame of the glasses, and each feature is activated by touching the main unit of the device.
Finally, the RealWear models allow the selection and use of features through voice controls. You just need to speak the command, whatever the language. In fact, addressing an international market, all Brochesia solutions are multilingual.
To know and compare all the technical features of the Smart Glasses supported by Brochesia, check the chart below!
- What are the benefits of a monocular device?
Monocular Smart Glasses are: RealWear (HMT-1, HMT-1Z1), Vuzix (M300XL, M400, M4000 and Blade) and Google Glass (Enterprise Edition 2).
The monocular Smart Glasses have a single display, and some of these models can be easily overlapped on prescription glasses or safety goggles. Usually , they have a more advanced operating system and for such a reason, the latest generations of Smart Glasses adopt this design. Having a single screen for one eye makes them not bulky and allows you to continue working with no distraction.
- What are the benefits of a binocular device?
All the Epson Moverio devices (BT-300, BT-350, BT-35E, BT-35E Solution Pack, BT-40 and BT-40S) are binocular Smart Glasses.
The main feature of these devices is that they are shaped like eyeglasses: in fact, they have a more elegant design and are usually lighter and more practical to use. They are ideal if you need a wide field of view or want a 3D experience.
Smart Glasses are wearable devices, so they must be comfortable for the wearer.
The Smart Glasses’ weight changes according to the manufacturer and the model. The lightest, and with the most elegant and practical design, are the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, the Vuzix M400, the Vuzix Blade and the Epson Moverio BT-300. The less light models, designed mostly – but not only – to be used with the protective helmet, are the RealWear HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1, certified rugged and high-performance wearable computers, perfect for the most tough contexts.
Each Smart Glasses model has different features both in design and technology.
For example, Smart Glasses like Epson BT-350 and Vuzix M400, with a light body and excellent audio and video quality, are very suitable for the medical, cultural and security sectors, as well as survey and inspection activities.
Other devices are designed to be worn for most of the working day, making it necessary that they are comfortable (such as the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 and the Vuzix Blade) and adaptable to other accessories that the worker may use, such as safety goggles or safety helmets (for example, the Vuzix M4000 and the Vuzix M300XL).
Some Smart Glasses, such as the RealWear HMT-1 and the RealWear HMT-1Z1, also feature important water, dust and falls resistant certifications, and they can therefore be used in harsh environments such as tunnels, on pylons or in a factory.
One of the Smart Glasses’ main features is the audio and video recording, which allows on-field workers to show their field of view to those connected remotely.
These devices are designed to transmit and save high quality pictures and videos, and the more advanced their optics, the better the Augmented Reality experience will be.
Brochesia offers a wide rage of Smart Glasses models, suitable for every sector, with high-definition displays and cameras: in this regard, the RealWear HMT-1 and RealWear HMT-1Z1 with 16-megapixel camera, the Epson Moverio BT-40S with 13-megapixel camera and the Vuzix M400 and the Vuzix M4000 with 12.8-megapixel give the best performances.
The Smart Glasses controls can change depending on the model.
All the Epson Moverio Smart Glasses have a controller with a touchpad or a touchscreen; the hands are not completely free but the glasses are less heavy on the head.
Alternatively, most of the Vuzix Smart glasses have a touchpad placed directly on the frame of the glasses, and each feature is activated by touching the main unit of the device.
Finally, the RealWear models allow the selection and use of features through voice controls. You just need to speak the command, whatever the language. In fact, addressing an international market, all Brochesia solutions are multilingual.
To know and compare all the technical features of the Smart Glasses supported by Brochesia, check the chart below!
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 | Vuzix M300XL | Vuzix M400 | Vuzix M4000 | Vuzix Blade | Moziware Cimo | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OS | Moverio OS | Moverio OS | Android 9 | – | – | Android 10 | Android 8.1 | Android 11 | Android 11 | Android 10 | Android 8.1 | Android 6.0.1 | Android 9.0 | Android 9.0 | Android 5.1.1 | Android 10 |
Internal memory | 16 GB | 16 GB | 64 GB | – | 64 GB | 64 GB | 32 GB | 64 GB | 64 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB | 64 GB | 64 GB | 64 GB | 8 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 160 mAh internal + 860 mAh external | 135 mAh internal battery + 750 mAh | 135 mAh internal battery + 750 mAh | Internal LiPo rechargeable batteries 470 mAh | 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 | nHD color | OLED | DLP WVGA color | Cobra II DLP based display / Vibrant full-color DLP | 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 | 10 MP | 12.8 MP | 12.8 MP | 8 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 | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope; GPS | Microphone; accelerometer; gyroscope | 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 | WiFi; Bluetooth 4.1 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi; Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi; Bluetooth 4.1 | 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.