Meta Unveils Orion, Their First Genuine Augmented Reality Glasses

Unveiling Orion: The Future of Augmented Reality Glasses

Five years ago, we embarked on a mission to develop augmented reality (AR) glasses that would seamlessly blend the digital and physical worlds. We believe that people shouldn’t have to choose between having a wealth of information at their fingertips and being present in their surroundings.

Today, we are excited to introduce Orion, which we believe represents the pinnacle of AR glasses technology. Orion aims to bridge the gap between the physical and virtual worlds, placing users at the center to make them more connected, present, and empowered.

Why Augmented Reality Glasses?

There are three main reasons why AR glasses are poised to revolutionize human-oriented computing:

1. Enhanced Digital Experiences: Unlike smartphones, AR glasses offer large holographic displays that allow users to use the physical world as a canvas. You can place 2D and 3D content and experiences anywhere within your view.
2. Contextual AI Integration: AR glasses come with built-in AI that can sense and understand the world around you. This enables the device to anticipate and proactively meet your needs.
3. Lightweight and Versatile: These glasses are designed to be lightweight and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. They allow users to see each other’s faces, eyes, and expressions, making interactions more natural.

   Our ultimate goal has always been to create a product that combines the convenience of wearables with a large display, high-bandwidth input, and contextualized AI, all in a form factor that people feel comfortable wearing daily.

   The Evolution of Smart Glasses
   

   Ray-Ban Meta glasses were a significant milestone, providing people with hands-free access to essential parts of their digital lives from their physical environment. These glasses allow users to interact with a smart AI assistant, connect with friends, and capture important moments without needing to pull out a phone.

   While Ray-Ban Meta glasses marked a new category of display-less, AI-enhanced eyewear, the XR (Extended Reality) industry has long dreamed of true AR glasses. These would combine the benefits of holographic displays and personalized AI assistance in a comfortable, all-day wearable form. Orion is our answer to that challenge.

   Groundbreaking AR Display in an Unparalleled Form
   

   For years, our team has worked diligently to miniaturize the technology found in VR and MR headsets to deliver similar experiences through lightweight, stylish glasses. Achieving the right form factor, delivering holographic displays, and developing compelling AR experiences were significant challenges. Initially, we estimated less than a 10% chance of success, but we persevered.

   Orion represents a remarkable feat of miniaturization, with components compressed down to fractions of a millimeter. Numerous innovations were required to achieve a contemporary design that users would feel comfortable wearing every day.

   Orion boasts the largest field of view ever seen in AR glasses, enabling immersive use cases such as multitasking windows, big-screen entertainment, and life-size holograms of people. This digital content can seamlessly blend with the physical world, creating a truly immersive experience.

   Augmented Reality Experiences
   

   The hardware is just one part of the equation; what you can do with Orion is equally important. Although it’s still early days, the experiences made possible by Orion offer a glimpse into the future.

   We’ve integrated our smart assistant, Meta AI, into Orion. It can understand what you’re looking at in the physical world and provide helpful visualizations. For example, you can open your refrigerator and ask for a recipe based on the ingredients you have. Or, you can video call a friend while adjusting a digital family calendar as you wash dishes.

   With Orion, you can take hands-free video calls to catch up with friends and family in real-time. You can stay connected on WhatsApp and Messenger, viewing and sending messages without needing to pull out your phone. Our teams are continually working on new immersive social experiences, and we’re excited to share what’s next.

   A Purposeful Product Prototype
   

   While Orion won’t be available to consumers just yet, it is far from a mere research prototype. It’s one of the most polished product prototypes we’ve ever developed, showcasing features that could easily make it to consumer shelves. Instead of rushing to market, we’ve chosen to focus on internal development to continue pushing the boundaries of the technology, aiming for an even better consumer product in the future.

   What Comes Next
   

   Starting today at Connect and continuing throughout the year, we will open access to the Orion prototype for Meta employees and select external audiences. This will allow our development team to learn, iterate, and build towards our consumer AR glasses product line, which we plan to launch in the near future.

   We’re focusing on several key areas moving forward:

4. Improving AR Display Quality: We aim to make the visuals even sharper.
5. Optimizing the Form Factor: We are working to make the glasses even smaller and more comfortable.
6. Scaling Production: We plan to build at scale to make the glasses more affordable.

   In the coming years, expect to see new devices from us that build on our research and development efforts. Orion is not just a window into the future; it represents the very real possibilities within reach today. From Ray-Ban Meta glasses to Orion, we’ve seen the positive impact of enabling people to stay present in the physical world while leveraging the digital world.

   For more information, you can visit the original announcement.

   By bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds, Orion is set to redefine how we interact with technology, making our lives more connected, present, and empowered.

For more Information, Refer to this article.