Samsung is trying again at a Google Glass rival, hoping to suceed with a bit of HoloLens flair.
The design looks very much like Google Glass-style smartglasses, but what it aims to do sounds a lot like HoloLens. The device described in a Samsung patent has a camera for each eye, a transparent screen for each eye and a bevy of sensors to track head movement, according to SlashGear.
Read this: How universities could use HoloLens
Having two cameras positioned so close to the wearer could be great for immersive 3D POV content. In front of each eye will be a screen, similar to the one found on Google Glass. But instead of just a heads up display, this will be used as an AR device too putting visual information into your real-world environment. It's too soon to guess but hopefully this would be to the same standard as HoloLens or even current industry darling Magic Leap.
On the outside of Samsung's concept device there are a bunch of LEDs and sensors to track head movement and position. It seems that Samsung is working on a system that's similar to the head-tracking tech used in VR headsets by Oculus and Sony as well as Valve's Lighthouse set-up.
To control the wearable we will be using a combination of voice, gestures and a small touch panel like the one on Glass and Samsung's Gear VR headset. As to what software you'll be controlling is yet to be seen, though it could be its own Tizen OS.
There's no release date mentioned, of course, but most likely this Samsung smartglasses hybrid won't be around any time soon considering how much work there is to do. We saw details emerge of a Glass rival in 2014 and this appears to be an iteration of that work.
With 3D cameras, two AR screens and what looks to be a small, wearable form-factor, if Samsung actually makes this, it could be a head mounted wearable that people will actually buy. Don't forget that the Gear VR was the first mainstream consumer VR headset to go on sale.
Then again, for on-the-go AR, Google's plan to partner with fashion brands could ultimately be the answer.
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