Individual crafted custom AR Spectacles from scratch, potential future allows for personal manufacture of such devices.
In the tech world's collective fantasy, everyone in Silicon Valley seems to be captivated by an identical vision: AR glasses. Meta has its experimental Orion glasses, while Apple is reportedly working on its own smart glasses in its Cupertino headquarters. Even though a few small companies are making an attempt to dominate the market, DIY enthusiasts have been left out of the loop. However, an unnamed independent designer appears to have cracked the code, creating what might be one of the most distinctive and potentially functional pairs of AR wearables we've seen so far. And get this – he's planning to sell development kits for a second-gen version, allowing people to manufacture their own pair at home.
The project, named "Zero," is an all-inclusive pair of AR glasses powered by a Raspberry Pi Zero. It runs web apps natively and doesn't call for any additional processing module or external battery. In a direct message to Gizmodo, developer and DIYer Miroslav Kotalík shared that he came up with the concept for his Zero glasses while working for a firm developing a commercial pair of AR spectacles. In simple terms, he wasn't satisfied with how most AR glasses manufacturers create devices that aren't actually comfortable to wear.
"I didn't like the weight distribution, they didn't sit right on my face and needed a phone connected via a wired connection to function," he said. "That's where I got the idea to make my own."
Just like many AR glasses, Zero promises to provide a type of "minimap" while strolling around or offer instant translation while traveling, though the current pair is still in its early stages. Kotalík started testing with an Arduino device, but he soon realized that it needed something powerful enough to render webpages and execute Javascript, leading him to settle on a Raspberry Pi Zero. The final design of 1.0 draws inspiration from retro-futurism, with goggle-like frames. The rounded lenses also allow Kotalík to position the optics near the hinges, rather than crowding them near the top like typical square-shaped AR glasses.
In the videos Kotalík posted to Twitter, the AR apps appear as subtly shifting, hovering icons or numbers, reminiscent of the floating numbers seen in front of scientists' eyes in the Netflix adaptation of The 3 Body Problem. As for app compatibility, Kotalík explained that the current operating system is designed to interface with any type of web app. It doesn't require an internet connection and should work with any app created for offline use.
© Gif: Miroslav Kotalík
“This means you can create an AR app in minutes – just make a simple webpage and copy it into the right folder,” he said. “The OS handles sensors, head tracking, and ‘glance’ element selection for you.”
Although it's still in its experimental stage, the most impressive aspect of this DIY design is how Kotalík was able to craft his own optics at home. Similar to many modern waveguide-based designs, these DIY glasses use a projector system to display images on the lenses, but that hardly does justice to the complexity of creating such intricate optics by hand. Kotalík used a free online tool called Ray Optics Simulation to fine-tune the lens shape required for image projection.
Initially, he tried 3D-printing a transparent PETG lens, but the result had air bubble lines trapped in the print, causing diffraction in the images. After numerous trials and errors, he switched to transparent resin, which he poured into 3D-printed molds. He then hand-polished and sanded the lenses into the appropriate shape.
While the 1.0 version was only a prototype, it demonstrated that it's possible to create a functional pair of glasses at a reasonable cost without requiring massive battery packs or bulky processors. Kotalík revealed that his work on the 2.0 version is focused on making it a genuine competitor to larger companies.
Not only is he experimenting with better optics, the new version could feature a larger field of view, a battery capable of providing a total 2-hour runtime, a better projector lens, plus the capabilities of a hand-tracking camera and microphone. Essentially, it could become a type of AI wearable, much like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. He's still testing whether 2.0 should use an Orange Pi Zero 2w or a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4.
Kotalík mentioned that version 2.0 will focus on frequently used web apps, such as Spotify or Instagram. The OS should be able to leverage the camera and 6DoF tracking, much like what's available on larger headsets, though that's still under development. There's significant potential in these simple, affordable glasses, but Kotalík noted that version 2.0 will "need a bit more time." Pricing details haven't been released yet, but it may range between $250 and $450. He shared with Gizmodo that these 2.0 glasses will be the first available to the public, and he's set up a waitlist on his website for anyone who wants to secure a spot.
Update 11/8/24 at 4:02 p.m. ET: This post was updated to include a link to Kotalík’s waitlist.
The future of DIY tech and AR technology could be exciting with projects like "Zero" by Miroslav Kotalík. With the second-gen version, individuals might have the opportunity to manufacture their own smart glasses at home, potentially challenging mainstream AR glass manufacturers.
Kotalík's vision for the future includes enhancing the capabilities of his glasses, aiming to make them a genuine competitor, offering features such as a larger field of view, hand-tracking camera, and microphone, making them a potential type of AI wearable.
