The device uses a see-through screen allowing information to be displayed in the wearers general view instead of on the side. Currently the display is capable of displaying information in a monochrome green color at 419x138 pixels, 15 frames per second and up to 1000cd/m2 brightness.
While Google has said they haven't scrapped Project Glass, they aren't actively developing it at the moment. For all intents and purposes, Google Glass is in limbo.
Google Glass allows recording a 720p video by either holding down the button that's located on top of the heads up display or saying "Ok Glass, record a video". By default the device will record a 10 second video, but that restriction can be removed by clicking the button again while recording.
To interact with the device say "Ok, Glass" and give it instructions on what to do. Currently, it supports things like taking a picture, getting directions or calling someone, but more functionality will be available as developers start creating apps for the device.
The HoloLens is a completely stand-alone device. You can use it without a PC or phone, and there are no external wires meaning you have completely unrestricted movement.
While not specifically marketed for industry, it looks like HoloLens will be most useful to businesses as opposed to consumers. This is a full fledged headset, not a small screen in the corner of your vision.
This is a current product, and is in active development. Developer devices are shipping now (as of June 2016 they are shipping wave 4). This isn't a past project - it's here and now.
Although comfortable on the head, the HoloLens weighs 1.5 lbs as compared to Google Glass, Vuzix, Epson Moverio, etc. which weigh in between 1.5 and 3 oz. Even if the HoloLens battery lasted longer than 2-3 hours, it would be difficult to imagine wearing the HoloLens for an entire day of work.
Instead of putting all the weight around one ear, the HoloLens balances the weight out around your entire head with its full band. The tightness can be adjusted to make sure the best fit is attained, and the front visor tilts up and down so it can be used in even more ways.
To order the HoloLens, you need to be a developer in USA or Canada, and also a Windows Insider. Regular people can't order this yet - even if they had the $3000 required.
If the battery is running low, you can replace it with a fully charged battery without needing to turn off the glasses. Larger extended batteries are also available, which can increase the battery life to up to 12 hours of continuous use. These larger batteries can be mounted on a belt instead of in the frames to be more ergonomic.
While apps are available, some built in features are very welcome. Out of the box it has the ability to record video and take pictures (and scan barcodes), manage your calendar, track events, and connect with your phone for notifications.
There is also built in GPS as well as head tracking. GPS will allow for precise location information, and the head tracking in combination will pinpoint exactly where you are and where you're looking. This allows for augmented reality (AR), which can remind electricians which wires are live, or display other relevant information when looking at an object in the real world.
While the Vuzix itself runs Android, it is compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems. This broadens its consumer base, and will allow (businesses especially) more flexibility when using it.
While not inherently bad, these smart glasses aren't designed for consumers. They won't have the same support for apps and other useful features for general consumers, and will likely be more specialized for enterprise.
The technology used in the Carl Zeiss Smart Glasses project can be transferred to normal glasses, or wherever curved glass is present. This solves the fundamental issue with Google Glass, which required an out-of-place flat piece of glass to function.
Carl Zeiss is a company that makes optics, and doesn't work on software. This is only a hardware solution, with no software implementation yet. Currently Carl Zeiss is seeking a software partner, however this will take time for them to develop a complete product once they do find a suitable partner.
Because these glasses have their displays right in the middle of your vision, they can project digital images ontop of reality (augmented reality - AR for short). This means you can get contextual data about an item right in your field of view. This tech can be used by interior designers to see how a room would look like with different furnishings in different places, as well as more everyday uses like drawing a navigation line ontop of the road when navigating.
These glasses don't have any ability to be adjusted - this isn't tech you'll be easily be able to share with others while remaining comfortable. It also means that if you normally wear glasses, you will need to wear those under these smart glasses.
Most of the controlling will be done through the wired touchpad. This is a clunky implementation, and requires a wired attachment. It isn't ideal for out-and-about usage, which is what smart glasses excel at.
While they could be used for consumers, they haven't been designed for average consumers. These are meant for businesses - possibly museums, engineering firms, or designers. There may not be much non-enterprise software available for the average user.
In addition to augmented reality (overlaying digital elements over the real world) and virtual reality (fully digital experience), CastAR is introducing projection reality in a new way. Projection reality projects light onto reflective surfaces and back to a sensor. The projection actually appears to be in the real-world as that is where the light is coming from. It appears like a hologram, except its only visible to you.
The quick response time (8.3ms) and 120Hz refresh rate combined with accurate tracking (to 0.07mm) make for a much less nauseating experience than some other VR solutions. Nausea is at least in part caused by a delay between physical movement and interpreted movement (your body has calibrated itself to a very specific delay from when you move your head to when your view is different. VR has some delay, which extends this delay and confuses the brain).
Handling the Iristick Z.1. is a real pleasure. You can select options via voice commands (even in very noisy environments), swipe through lists via the touchpad or take out the phone if you run an app that is only on smartphone available.
The fit like a glove, well actually like glasses should fit. They look like glasses, they feel like glasses. (and what is nice, they are intrinsically certified as safety glasses. Very lightweight.
The use of an external smartphone is clever design. It avoids heating and radiation near the temple, a real problem with other smartglasses. The pocketunit contains an additional battery and gives you more than 6 hrs streaming potential.
Most smartglasses only work for Android or have their own Android environment built-in. The Iristick works with both iOS and Android phones by simply connecting an iPhone or Android device to it.
Most smartglasses have the camera on the side. Iristick Z.1. has a camera in between the eyes and this corresponds to the natural viewpoint of the wearer. The image you get from this camera corresponds to what the wearer is seeing.
The clever design of the glasses and pocket unit do require a cable connection between them. It takes some getting used to in the beginning, but after a few minutes you forget about it.
You can use the Iristick Z1 for more than 6 hrs, but then it takes about 2 hrs to recharge the pocket unit. Iristick Z1 has the largest autonomy on the market and that makes the 2 hr charging time acceptable.
Because it is worn on the ear, you can wear the Vusix on top of your prescription glasses, or even wear it without any glasses. This gives it the flexibility to be worn by anybody, in virtually any circumstance.
While no final cost figures are available yet, the most expensive components (CPU, GPU, display, camera) are absent - these will be provided through a smartphone which will be mounted in the Wave. This allows the Wave to attain an affordable pricepoint when compared to other smartglasses.
The Kickstarter campaign was priced around $150, however typically retail prices are higher than Kickstarter prices.
A smartphone needs to be inserted into the Wave for it to function. The CPU, GPU, display and camera of the phone will be used to provide most of the functions of the Wave. This provides certain limitations however - the display of a smartphone isn't designed for AR or VR, and current implementations can't take advantage of the display's full resolution (edges will be cut off and warped to provide the field of view required by the eyepieces). Processing power and battery life will be limited by the phone as well - even the highest end current smartphones have trouble sometimes keeping up with the current VR solutions. This could be solved in part by new mobile CPUs and GPUs that will be available by 2017, such as the Snapdragon 821.
The Innovator Edition is expected to launch in 2017, however this will be intended for developers. There is no date for expected consumer versions yet.