Amazon is known for having its fingers in innumerable pies, but this is a strange pastry-poking even for Jeff Bezos.
A pair of augmented reality smart glasses may be currently in development at Amazon HQ, according to a new patent filing first spotted by re/code.
The patent, which was published this week by the US Patent and Trademark Office, describes smart glasses that can be wired or wirelessly connected to a device, such as a tablet.
The glasses can then display video or images from the device in front of a user’s eyes.
“On the one hand, a large screen is beneficial for watching movies, playing games and even reading e-mail comfortably,” reads the patent.
It continues: “On the other hand, the larger the screen, the bigger the device, which may be less desirable for a light and portable product. Another problem consumers experience with portable devices, like tablet devices, is the lack of ability to immerse themselves in a tablet experience, such as watching a movie on an airplane.”
The idea is that users of the headset would be able to seamlessly switch between immersion in an image, and physical reality.
That’s something not achieved by Google Glass, which failed to offer true immersion.
That’s because in an effort to ensure the glasses were safe to use on the streets, the image is displayed on a user’s periphery, as to not block frontal view.
Related: Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive
Unfortunately, as with all patents, there’s no saying for sure that the technology will ever be put to use by its creators.
Amazon has made no public comment on the matter, so stay tuned.
Would you like to see Amazon jumping on the AR/VR bandwagon? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
