After the ambitious yet ultimately premature launch of Google Glass in 2014, smart glasses have refocused their priorities in recent years. Today, the emphasis is on aesthetics and subtle functionality. The latest models, like the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, are designed to be discreet and stylish, offering basic features like speakers, cameras, and voice controls to capture life’s unforgettable moments with ease.
However, innovation in smart glasses is making a strong comeback. Recently, Meta enhanced its Ray-Ban glasses with an AI upgrade that allows the built-in AI to provide insights into what the camera sees. Now, another company is planning to develop similarly intelligent smart glasses using the latest vision capabilities of ChatGPT 4o.
The Solos AirGo Vision is an upgrade to the existing AirGo 3, which already uses ChatGPT to translate speech in real-time. With this new version, the company introduces a camera in the frame that can not only capture photos and videos but also recognize people and objects, thanks to the new vision features of ChatGPT.
This means you can ask your smart glasses for information about what you’re looking at or even get directions based on a visible landmark. There’s no need for a screen — the glasses would simply deliver directions through a built-in speaker, saving you from having to pull up Google Maps on your phone.
This is just the beginning of what’s possible. The company claims that the camera could also track progress on tasks like cooking and home improvement, providing step-by-step instructions. While shopping, you could show your glasses a product and ask if there’s a better-priced option elsewhere — though one might question the frugality of wearing expensive smart glasses while grocery shopping.
One particularly interesting feature of the Solos AirGo Vision is the interchangeable frame system, which is also used in the company’s other glasses. This means you can swap out the camera-equipped frame if you don’t need that functionality or if you’re heading somewhere like a theater or cinema where cameras might be unwelcome.
With a camera-free frame attached, you can still use all the other functions of ChatGPT — just not the camera-related ones. The company also states that the glasses can be integrated with Google Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude AI models if you prefer those over OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The AirGo Vision is expected to launch later this year, though pricing has not yet been announced. Considering that a version without cameras will be available next month for $249.99, it’s likely that the camera-equipped model will cost more. With Meta’s Ray-Bans starting at $299, the Solos alternative is expected to be in a similar price range.
