CES 2015: Could Osterhout’s smart glasses be more popular than Google Glass?

They’ve built their business making military goggles, but at CES this year, Osterhout Design Group showed off a new smart glasses prototype aimed at the consumer market.

Based on Wayfarer sunglasses, the AR Smart Glasses design is undeniably cooler than Google Glass’ business-chic aesthetic. They’re also designed to be light to wear, if a little bulkier than normal, non-smart glasses.

Tiny projectors on top of each lens create the 720p virtual screen, which is projected in front of you and according to Mashable, who got their eyes on the prototype (and vice versa), documents were easy to read without any eye strain, but apps had a bit of a time lag.

There are controls on the glasses, they can be linked to a smartphone, or you can use a Bluetooth ring controller with tiny touchpad if you’d rather feel like a 1980s Bond villain. They can also be paired with a Bluetooth keyboard so you can work on the go without a laptop or tablet. And thankfully for the contact lens-phobic among us, they’ll work with an existing prescription.

Release date and price are still under wraps for now, but Osterhout says we should expect the glasses sometime this year, priced under $1000 (£660).

This week we’re bringing you all the latest news, videos and gossip from CES 2015 in Las Vegas. Check out the CES 2015 page to keep up to date and subscribe to our YouTube channel to see hands-on news with our editor Holly Brockwell from the show floor.

Diane Shipley