The extended reality space gained a lot of attention at this year’s CES event, with various companies introducing their own versions of smart and mixed-reality glasses. Vuzix, one of the leading suppliers of AR and smart glasses technology, revealed their newly upgraded micro LED glasses, which look a lot like a standard pair of spectacles.
The Vuzix smart glasses are sleek enough to blend into a typical environment, without any bulky extra equipment to worry about. The small MicroLED projector has the power to display images on the spectacles lenses, which can be either prescription-ready, or clear. The display engine is just one excellent example of the technology that Vuzix is bringing into the market.
With 179 patents awarded and pending, as well as various licenses in the video and eyewear field, Vuzix is constantly picking up awards for innovation. The company even recently demonstrated the full potential of its Smart Glasses (Blade model) as the first glasses to support the completion of a total knee replacement surgery.
Changing the World with AR
Though smart glasses like the ones demonstrated by Vuzix at CES generate a lot of excitement in the consumer world, companies are still looking for evidence of their professional applications. With Apple currently working on its own smart glasses, and new businesses appearing in the landscape, interest is growing.
The fact that the Vuzix Blade glasses have become the first AR glasses to enable a total augmented reality knee replacement surgery is big news for the industry. The operation, which was completed in New York City by an orthopedic surgeon, demonstrates what’s really possible with the right AR technology. The platform used with the glasses from Medacta (NextAR TKA) is new to the market. It received FDA clearance in July and uses a preoperative CT Scan of the knee for surgical planning, and insight during surgery.
With the Vuzix Blade Smart glasses, orthopedic surgeons can essentially visualize all of the structures of the knee and track their progress in real-time within the operative visual space, without having glance away to other screens. This is an excellent insight into how AR technology and smart glasses can go beyond the basic functionality that most people expect.
A New Use Case for Smart Glasses
When Vuzix demonstrated its most recent glasses at the CES event this year, it gained plenty of attention for it’s gesture control features, unique design, and Bluetooth connectivity. However, it’s the use cases demonstrated by things like the Vuzix Blade glasses that could really push companies to sit up and take notice.
According to the CEO and President of Vuzix, Paul Travers, smart glasses are continuing to gain attention across all industries – including healthcare. In the health environment, this technology allows for the delivery of next-gen clinical care, including surgeries that leverage augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and machine learning opportunities. It’s a significant milestone for the AR landscape, and the smart glasses space.
