Vertical Divider

VR/AR

​Lenovo Plans AR Glasses for PC Users to See Multiple Workspaces
November 25, 2019

Last week, we highlighted the various approaches being developed by major CE players. Recently, Lenovo revealed their AR Concept Glasses that are small enough to carry anywhere and wear — a bit awkwardly — in public, where the company expects they’ll help workers access virtual workspaces from the road.
 
Figure 1: Lenovo AR Concept Glasses

Source: Lenovo

​The goal, Lenovo explains, is to use AR to give a user visual privacy while working in a public space, as well as the option to view multiple screens at once. Rather than trying to create an entirely new platform or set of apps, the company wants PC users to be able to access the work, social media, and game software they already own, but within the glasses as needed. Lenovo hasn’t disclosed the full specs for the glasses yet, but they appear to include three front-facing cameras, support for prescription lenses, and a wire to connect to a laptop. In a video, Lenovo shows them working with a ninth-generation Intel Core i7- and GeForce GTX-powered PC; the minimum specs are not yet clear.  The company’s approach as opposed to  Magic Leap and Microsoft have attempted to develop entirely new platforms around their AR headsets, does not require the purchase and actual wearing of new computing hardware to experience the benefits of augmented reality. While companies such as Nreal, Qualcomm, and Apple have seemingly focused on smartphone tethered solutions— and require full-room mapping to prevent accidents —would narrow the scope of user movement to a chair, and focus largely on simpler use cases. So far, there’s no pricing or release date for the headset, which is being shown this week at Lenovo’s Beijing edition of Tech World. The company has previously marketed Star Wars-themed AR solutions for kids and Mirage Solo VR headsets that have recently been used for pediatric medical applications.