After nearly a decade of development, Meta Orion was unveiled on Wednesday at Meta Connect 2024 as the company’s first augmented reality (AR) glasses. At its annual conference related to mixed reality and wearable technology, the Facebook parent company showcased a prototype of its AR glasses equipped with a holographic display and feature support for Meta AI. The device will not be commercially available, but the company plans to offer a version to customers in the next few years.
Meta Orion unveiled with holographic display, Meta AI support
Previously codenamed Project Nazaré, the Meta Orion glasses are designed to look like a pair of regular glasses while offering AR features. They are equipped with holographic displays that allow wearers to view 2D and 3D content over the top of objects in their field of vision. Meta has praised the device’s ability to handle multi-tasking and offer video playback – even displaying “life-size holograms of people”.
Meta Orion can use the company’s Meta AI Assistant for relevant information
Photo Credit: Meta
Apart from offering support for AR apps and entertainment features, the Orion AR glasses prototype also works with the company’s AI-powered assistant Meta AI. The company says it can perform visual lookups when a user is looking at different objects, and a demo shows how it can provide contextual information – when presented with multiple materials laid out on a table. Displaying a smoothie recipe.
Meta also says the Orion AR glasses prototype works with its messaging apps – WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger – allowing the wearer to view and send messages through the holographic display. The company also demonstrated the use of gestures to play AR games while wearing the headset, as well as an image of a band and what appears to be a controller next to AR glasses.
The Meta Orion seen next to a wrist accessory and what appears to be a controller
Photo Credit: Meta
In an apparent dig at the Apple Vision Pro that went on sale earlier this year, Meta says people shouldn’t have to choose between “the world of information” and “existing in the physical world.” Apple’s mixed reality headset provides access to high-resolution content in both virtual reality (VR) and AR modes, but the device is larger than Meta’s prototype and obscures the wearer’s eyes and expressions.
Meta will not be available to Orion customers
According to the company, Meta Orion will not be available to customers. Company employees will be able to use the prototype to develop Meta’s consumer AR glasses product, which will be modeled after Orion. The firm also says that ‘select external audiences’ will also get access to the AR glasses.
There’s no word from Meta on when customers can expect a commercial version of its AR glasses. The company says it expects to create new devices ‘over the next few years’ based on its research and development efforts. It said its current priorities are to improve the visuals on AR displays, reduce the form factor, and make the device affordable by mass-manufacturing it.
