CES 2014: Epson Looks To Take On Google With BT-200 Smart Glasses

Epson has announced the next generation of its Moverio BT-200 smart glasses technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The new glasses feature a number of new features aimed at the business sector, with Epson hoping to muscle in on Google’s space before the search giant corners the market in wearable face technology.

Running Android 4.0 and featuring Bluetooth support, the Moverio BT-200 is a head-controlled device with two transparent screens which work together to overlay an image in the centre of the user’s field of vision.

The glasses contain built-in sensors including a gyroscope, GPS, accelerometer and microphone, as well as Dolby Digital Plus sound capability. Users will be able to watch HD and 3D content via two 0.42-inch LCD panels which deliver the equivalent of a 320-inch qHD screen across your entire field of vision, along with the ability to see side-by-side 3D content.

Upgrading to business glass?

Like Google’s Glass, there is also a front-facing VGA camera, although Epson is keen to stress that the camera is normally off, and when it is operational, a red recording light is clearly visible on the device, in order to distance itself from some of the worries surrounding Google’s hardware data capture.

Powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, the BT-200 also comes with 8GB of storage space, which can be expanded up to 32GB via an SD card, and Epson believe users will enjoy a battery life of around six hours.

The glasses’ bulkier construction is a signal that Epson is aiming the BT-200 towards enterprises rather than consumers. Potential uses include allowing workers to QR or AR codes automatically to get information on products or inventory quickly and easily.

The Moverio BT-200 will be on sale through Amazon and direct from Epson for $699, and will be available in the U.S. in March and Europe in May.

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