- Ray-Ban has partnered with Meta to incorporate AI technology into sunglasses
- Futuristic glasses will have cameras and will be able to answer user questions
- The glasses will cost £245 and will be available in Britain from next month.
They rank first on most travelers’ packing checklists.
And now sunglasses could become a holiday essential thanks to technology that will turn them into an electronic tourist guide.
Luxury brand Ray-Ban has partnered with Meta, the company behind Instagram and Facebook, to incorporate artificial intelligence technology into frames. With cameras, microphones and speakers, the glasses will allow the user to request information about what they are seeing or get help translating signs or menus.
Tourists will also be able to share their experiences with friends and family back home by streaming live videos on social media or sending photos instantly.
The smart glasses are among the first devices to use Meta’s new AI chatbots, a technology that aims to mimic human conversation.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg discusses the partnership with Ray-Ban during the Meta Connect event at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park.
The smart glasses come in three colors
The company says the chatbots will have “personality” and will be tailored to specialize in certain topics, such as travel.
By using real-time information compared to a library of images and data, they will be able to instantly provide users with feedback on what they are seeing.
However, tour guides who may fear for their future will be encouraged by the checkered history of smart glasses. Often touted as “the next big thing”, they have been launched many times without success, the latest example being the Google Glass model scrapped earlier this year.
Meta says he is confident that by making his sunglasses stylish and comfortable to wear, he will buck the trend. Product manager Hind Hobeika said: “Smart glasses will be an important platform in the future… because soon you will be able to let your AI see what you see and hear what you hear.”
The £245 glasses, which don’t weigh much more than a normal pair of Ray-Bans, will be available in Britain from next month.
