Tech start-up Magic Leap are best known in virtual reality (VR) circles for its upcoming mixed reality (MR) headset, whose prototype has been experienced by celebrities such as singer Beyonce and comedian Ricky Gervais. Now a patent has surfaced showing that the company may also be developing augmented reality (AR) smart glasses.
Since the revival of Google Glass as Google Glass Enterprise Edition, there has been renewed interest in AR Smartglasses technology, particularly for commercial and industrial use. Companies such as Vuzix have already gone in this direction. Though it is unknown if the product depicted in the patent is intended for industrial or entertainment use.
The patent application was discovered by Business Insider. The patent was originally filed in 2015 and showed a pair of oval lenses with thick frames, a pair of cameras is mounted on either side of the lenses in a ‘side-pod’ type arrangement. Magic Leap have so far denied that they are working on such a device, with Magic Leap spokesperson Julia Gaynor telling Business Insider: “As you know, we file lots of patents that take a long time to get approved and so what you are looking at is not our product.”
Sources from within Magic Leap contradicted this, however, saying that the design in the patent was a reasonably close match to Magic Leap’s product, though the prototype hardware was bigger and bulkier, with a section in the middle near the nose bridge to hold a depth sensor and only one camera on each arm.
It is presently unconfirmed if this patent or the information received from inside sources does match the present iteration of the Magic Leap Mixed Reality hardware, ir is a different and unrelated product. Those who have already experienced the Magic Leap hardware described the device as being closer to swimming goggles that glasses, so it seems unlikely that they are the same.
VRFocus will bring you further information on Magic Leap and its products as it becomes available.
via Mint VR