Photo: BMW
It wasn’t that long ago that information projected directly into your eyewear was considered science fiction, although we all kind of got a sense that it would happen sooner rather than later. If anything, Marvel’s depiction of Iron Man / Tony Stark only made us crave this type of technology more, especially since it can be so useful in so many ways.
Meet the ConnectedRide Smartglasses, courtesy of BMW Motorrad, because of course a motorcycle company would be coming up with these, as opposed to a car-making division where head-up display tech is projected directly into the windshield.
For motorcycles though, the practical way to do it is to project the information directly into the rider’s field of vision, in real time – information such as navigation, speed, gear and so on, in turn enabling anticipatory and safer motorcycle riding.
According to BMW, these smart glasses are also very comfortable to wear, with a design and display meant to meet the needs of motorcyclists in general. You can wear them with numerous helmets regardless of face shape. Basically, all you need is a face and you’re good to go – good thing most people have one of those. So, not only can you wear them on long road trips, but their lithium-ion battery allows for up to 10 hours of operation, which is tremendous.
Let’s get technical though. First, the lenses, which are certified UVA/UVB. You get two sets, where one of them is 85% transparent and can be used for helmets with integrated sun visors, whereas the other set features tinted lenses for a more traditional sunglasses experience. You also get a case (duh) and a USB charging cable.
The best part though? If you wear prescription glasses, know that these lenses can be adjusted to your required visual acuity by an optician (up to max 4 diopters). Of course, if you wear contact lenses, no adjustments will be necessary.
Meanwhile, the Head-Up function for navigation comes with individual displays, such as a reduced arrow display or detailed navigation with street names, intersections and precise directions. The latter function definitely sounds amazing, although we’re curious to see just how obtrusive it might be, visually.
Other highlights include the integrated light sensor, integrated optics module for transferring data securely, the Anthracite frame and an operating temperature range between – 14 and 122 F.
While pricing has yet to be announced, we expect the BMW ConnectedRide Smartglasses to arrive in the U.S. later this year.
For motorcycles though, the practical way to do it is to project the information directly into the rider’s field of vision, in real time – information such as navigation, speed, gear and so on, in turn enabling anticipatory and safer motorcycle riding.
According to BMW, these smart glasses are also very comfortable to wear, with a design and display meant to meet the needs of motorcyclists in general. You can wear them with numerous helmets regardless of face shape. Basically, all you need is a face and you’re good to go – good thing most people have one of those. So, not only can you wear them on long road trips, but their lithium-ion battery allows for up to 10 hours of operation, which is tremendous.
Let’s get technical though. First, the lenses, which are certified UVA/UVB. You get two sets, where one of them is 85% transparent and can be used for helmets with integrated sun visors, whereas the other set features tinted lenses for a more traditional sunglasses experience. You also get a case (duh) and a USB charging cable.
The best part though? If you wear prescription glasses, know that these lenses can be adjusted to your required visual acuity by an optician (up to max 4 diopters). Of course, if you wear contact lenses, no adjustments will be necessary.
Highlights
The two available sizes are Medium and Large, featuring different nose pads – medium for pupil distance 2.1 to 2.6 inches, and large for 2.3 to 2.9-inches. You can also connect these smart glasses to your smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing for real-time GPS data transfer from an app to the eyewear.Meanwhile, the Head-Up function for navigation comes with individual displays, such as a reduced arrow display or detailed navigation with street names, intersections and precise directions. The latter function definitely sounds amazing, although we’re curious to see just how obtrusive it might be, visually.
Other highlights include the integrated light sensor, integrated optics module for transferring data securely, the Anthracite frame and an operating temperature range between – 14 and 122 F.
While pricing has yet to be announced, we expect the BMW ConnectedRide Smartglasses to arrive in the U.S. later this year.
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