Smart Glasses With Live Translation (update)

[stevemink]

This is my third update on subject matter and it seems things are finally heating up with development in AR glasses/Smart glasses with live translation to text display. I previously posted some small start up companies that are currently exploring smart glasses with text display but it appears now the “gorilla” in the room might be Meta and possibly Google down the road.

Though not (presently) fully operational it appears Meta in conjunction with Ray-Ban is right around the corner to produce natural looking glasses that will display verbal communication via text display on Ray-Ban glass lenses. Meta is already pumping this so called display feature so it’s not far off, per statement below.

According to Zuckerberg, who unveiled the glasses at the Meta Connect 2023 event, the glasses will soon be able to do real-time language translations and object recognition.

Seeing is believing but it does appear Zuckerberg will be first to market with smart glasses that could be used by deaf community or those severely hard of hearing in near future. Possibly for $299 a pop. Glasses can be powered for four hours, or with purchase of special glass casing - recharged for 36 hours of use.

My thoughts. Glasses appear to almost totally natural looking with no awkward wire connect to smart phone. I’m not sure if Meta/Ray-Ban are pushing glasses with a dark sun glass lens or regular clear lens. There also might be a few other bells and whistles that might be a negative for Meta since hidden frame camera was a “no go” for Google glasses back in 2014. As in “Big Brother” thing. There’s also push for live verbal translation in multiple languages, which I feel is over kill for users who simply want glasses for improved hearing translation in English format. Its also not clear if Meta has developed a way to “screen out” verbal text display with user talking.

Obviously Meta is pushing several options for new glasses like taking photos and video with a single tap. Personally I have to wonder how some of these redundant functions will compete with a user’s smart phone for same tasks. But if real time translation can occur with consistent (errorless) text display these new Meta glasses should sell well.

Google back in June stated they were washing their hands of AR glasses and throwing in the towel. Now reports are coming out company is back in the ball game to develop AR glasses with
text translation. Apple on the other hand won’t have their act together until 2026 or 2027, to provide Apple customers with glasses with live text display.

Bottom line it appears over next year or two, Smart glasses/AR glasses will go “live” and should continually be improved with technical advances and greater competition. Prices should also come down as more manufacturers enter market. Hopefully come end of next year we have some really good choices to pick from that work well in conjunction with hearing aids.

Zuckerberg's Meta AI Ray-Ban glasses evolve into live-stream cam

[enb141]

I’m interested in this technology, hearing aids are just too expensive, and getting more expensive, hopefully this technology could work with prescription glasses.

[kev716]

@stevemink

But if real time translation can occur with consistent (errorless) text display these new Meta glasses should sell well.

As a current user of Google Transcribe, I would call this a big “if”. Transcribe can work surprisingly well at times, and then at other times display gibberish or nothing at all.

Even without much improvement I would still seriously consider buying one of these because trying to have conversations with people while staring at your phone is very awkward.

[stevemink]

I think key to smart glasses with live translation is to keep things extremely simple and don’t turn off the customer with ill thought out designs and ugly glass frames. Obviously looking at one’s phone to read verbal transcription/text conversation is a no go. You have to eye to eye contact with the person you’re talking with to be comfortable. Also connecting cord between smart glasses and phone is a no go. Since who wants to walk around with a long cord flapping in wind or thrown over someone shoulder while sitting.

I can see challenges in group setting with several people talking and wonder about text time lag and clear visual display. Also concerns about operational quality in settings with loud background noise. From a fitting standpoint I wonder how temple tip of glass frames will fit or hold over someone’s ear that uses BTE aids. And of course how to factor in prescription lenses when ordering glasses.

A while back I was under the impression Apple would offer everything in one package from Smart Glasses, to prescription lenses, to quality lens design, etc. Something like going to an Apple store, as if it was a high quality Lens Crafters. Nice idea but now probably two plus years off.

Power constraints will be improved over time but assume you will have to charge Smart glasses over night. No big. But unfortunately a lot of these Smart Glass developers want way, way more than just basic live English translation to glass lens. The end game is supposedly to develop Smart Glasses so you no longer need your cell phone. Great but don’t keep me hanging for six to ten years, if all I’d like is dependable AR glasses that just display what someone saying in front of me.

Pricing under $300 (excluding prescription lenses) should be affordable to most. Will Smart Glasses someday replace hearing aids? I seriously doubt that during the next decade. But I do see these spacial glasses as a competing factor (say) against a $50,000 plus cochlear Implant. Wonder if the FDA is listening?

[enb141]

@stevemink

I think key to smart glasses with live translation is to keep things extremely simple and don’t turn off the customer with ill thought out designs and ugly glass frames. Obviously looking at one’s phone to read verbal transcription/text conversation is a no go. You have to eye to eye contact with the person you’re talking with to be comfortable. Also connecting cord between smart glasses and phone is a no go. Since who wants to walk around with a long cord flapping in wind or thrown over someone shoulder while sitting.

Same for hearing aids, nobody wants a cellphone to process the audio and send it back to your ears, that’s why hearing aids are so expensive because are a computer plus microphone plus speaker in a tiny compartment.

@stevemink

Power constraints will be improved over time but assume you will have to charge Smart glasses over night. No big. But unfortunately a lot of these Smart Glass developers want way, way more than just basic live English translation to glass lens. The end game is supposedly to develop Smart Glasses so you no longer need your cell phone. Great but don’t keep me hanging for six to ten years, if all I’d like is dependable AR glasses that just display what someone saying in front of me.

Smart Glasses are probably going to be good enough in the next decade, about 10 - 15 years from now, so I’m lucky enough, I could benefit from Smart Glasses instead of relying in hearing aids that at that point will cost around $10,000 - $12,000 for the top of the line ones.

@stevemink

Pricing under $300 (excluding prescription lenses) should be affordable to most. Will Smart Glasses someday replace hearing aids? I seriously doubt that during the next decade. But I do see these spacial glasses as a competing factor (say) against a $50,000 plus cochlear Implant. Wonder if the FDA is listening?

Even if you have to buy FDA ones, definitively they will cost way way less than hearing aids, I don’t think they will replace hearing aids, but having Hearing Aids + Smart Glasses will be a huge improvement for most of us with deafness.