CEATEC JAPAN 2015

Wearing the ‘Cool Design Smart Glass’ ― a select design for a natural look and feel of conventional glasses

Murata demonstrated uses of a prototype of its ‘Cool Design Smart Glass’ device announced in September of 2015. This device was developed in conjunction with City of Sabae in Fukui Prefecture, a major production area of eyewear in Japan. As the name suggests, Cool Design Smart Glass has been designed with style and comfort in mind.

Narrowing down its on-board components, this smart glass is characterized by its simple and lightweight construction. Using the popular wellington-type frames, these glasses have been created so that the user will want to go out with them on. And, to get rid of the gadget feel, the device employs a double structure spherical lens with a display on the rear side. Prescription lenses can also be fitted into the device, so they can be used by anyone, regardless of their level of vision

The analog button and dial give a firm feeling of control

By having the display in only one eye, Murata has been careful to avoid the need for a bulging frame to contain the built-in modules. The device features 4 functions, they being a display, an input switch, an infrared unit and Bluetooth, and is extremely lightweight at only 78 grams. With a focus on balance skillfully achieved with the technology of Sabae-city, these glasses don’t put any pressure on the nose or through the temples.

An icon appears in the display upon looking at an appliance. The display only uses green coloration.

Murata’s Smart Glass demo is a part of the company’s human-machine interface (HMI) solutions ― Murata did not set out to purposely build a smart glasses, but took the approach of making ordinary glasses a little more useful. When the wearer looks at an appliance or light, that device receives an infrared beam transmitted from the spectacle frame, and Bluetooth, lighting or TV-type icons appear on the display. The user can also use the button and dial to control channels or lighting levels.

Demo of appliance control with Smart Glass controlling an appliance with the infrared beam from the frame

Apart from that, Cool Design Smart Glass could also be used to provide information such as the name of the person facing the wearer or vehicle navigation. Murata is currently looking for partner companies to provide these sorts of services, but as the number of compatible devices increases, this smart glass is bound to become a convenient and handy solution.