As latest, hottest and must-see new gadgets continued to be showcased at CES 2014, established and industry’s best technologies were not left out either. Among them was Epson, in this case featuring prominently with its second-generation Augmented Reality Smart Glasses. Epson was selected by the leading electronics body – Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) as one of the 2014 International CES® innovations design and engineering honoree in the wearable technologies category for its smart glasses, the Moverio BT-200. Unlike traditional binoculars, Epson’s Moverio BT-200 sports a pleasantly sleek-light design and uses a miniaturized LCD-based projection lenses system alongside optical light in each of the glasses to display.
Moverio’s platform offers an advanced binocular system which projects see-through overlays of digital content on to the real-world in the center of the smart glasses’ field of view. This technique enables a seamless blend between the physical and digital world that in turn makes augmented reality applications possible for both individual consumers as well as commercial enterprises. Physically, the Moverio BT-200 glasses are thinner than previous models featuring a flexible nosepiece that’ll fit and rest comfortably as if they were custom made.
Speaking at the launch, Hans Dummer – head of Epson’s Europe visual imaging business said they were honored to be recognized by CEA for the prestigious award. “Leveraging our long-standing leadership in LCD and visual imaging, Epson is at the forefront of developing innovative and unique wearable products that bring valuable new experiences for consumers and enterprises”, he added.
CES Innovations awards products are determined by an independent panel of distinguished industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to recognize and honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting-edge consumer electronics products. Epson alongside application developer partners showcased the application demos of the Moverio BT-200 at the Epson SmartWare Pavilion in the Las Vegas Convention Centre during 2014 International CES which came to a close over the weekend. Running Android 4.0 and featuring Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, Epson’s Moverio BT-200 has two transparent screens which work together to overlay an image in the center of the user’s field of vision.
Moverio BT-200 glasses contain built-in sensors including a gyroscope, GPS, accelerometer and microphone, as well as Dolby Digital Plus sound capability and a multi-touch track pad that allows users to take control and run applications on the Moverio’s 1.2GHz dual core processor. Weighing in at only 88g, and with a battery life of up to six hours, Epson said that the Moverio BT-200 can be used “on the move or at home”. In addition, the Moverio BT-200 smart glasses will be on display at the Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase at International CES 2014.