Vuzix, a manufacturer of Video Eyewear devices, recently showcased a new product at the 2013 CES held in Las Vegas. The latest from the Rochester based firm were smart glasses that looks a lot like Google Glass. However, the company’s main product has always been their personal display devices that wrap around a users head. On February 11 Vuzix announced that they would start shipping their latest version of the product named the Wrap 1200AR.The new device is a lot like it predecessor the, Wrap 1200VR, but has a specific focus on augmented reality. The manufacturer has given the video eyewear two VGA cameras on the front of the glasses. These give stereoscopic video which can be viewed on the 852 x 480 displays on the inside of the head gear. There is also head tracking technology in the 3D glasses and the entire product will cost consumers $1,499.
Paul Travers, President and CEO of Vuzix Corporation spoke about the new product and Augented reality in general by saying that, “We are excited to be shipping these new digital ARglasses, offering a huge 75-inch screen, as seen from 10 feet. New features such as adjustable eye-separation, synchronized camera and display tilt combine for the best digital see-through AR user experience on the market. AR is taking the world by storm and is gaining momentum in many markets. We provide these AR tools to research facilities, universities, game developers and enthusiasts, enabling them to develop affordable and compelling Augmented Reality solutions.”
In a press release about the Wrap 1200AR, the company mentioned that “As a bonus, the Wrap 1200AR includes a free copy of maxReality, an AR content authoring plug-in for Autodesk 3ds Max. By utilizing industry standard video capture and display technologies, the Wrap 1200AR is compatible with virtually all leading AR authoring systems. Vuzix also provides a royalty free VR/AR SDK to assist software developers in enabling direct support for Vuzix technologies. The VR/AR SDK for Windows demonstrates stereoscopic 3D video, head tracking and utilization of the AR camera data.”
Vuzix was founded in 1997 and deals in the “consumer, commercial and entertainment markets” by providing portable personal display devices. The company has 47 patents or patents pending for its products and has been awarded 14 Consumer Electronics Show Innovations Awards. The company has offices in the US, UK and Japan.
Source: Engadget
Image: Vuzix