Vuzix Corporation announced the availability of prescription capable safety glasses, made by Rochester Optical, which are designed for use with the Vuzix M100 heads-up display.
The company said the new lenses meet the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) / ISEA (International Safety Equipment Association) Z87.1-2010 standards, which Vuzix hopes will compel more companies to run pilot programs with the M100.
Rochester Optical is the first company to offer prescription-ready safety lenses for Vuzix's M100. The company uses its Smart GOLD lenses, which have been engineered to compensate for wearable tech such as M100's HUD. Smart GOLD lenses have adjustments in the upper corners that Rochester Optical said reduce eye strain and fatigue. The adjustments made in the corners are specific to the individual's prescription.
Rochester Optical said that Smart GOLD lenses have additional optical centers where the HUD is viewed. The added optical center is meant to eliminate prismatic effects and off-axis aberrations. The company believes this results in more comfortable viewing under continuous use.
Make no mistake, augmented reality is coming. Despite famous failures (primarily, Google Glass), AR makes tremendous sense within numerous markets, including industry, science, health and education, not to mention basic consumer applications (such as navigation and light gaming). Mega solutions such as Microsoft's HoloLens are coming at some point and will no doubt shake up the market in a major way, but in the meantime, we have Vuzix' M100 and prescription lenses. It's a small step, but it's a step forward.
And for the bespectacled, the ability to use AR HUDs (or VR HMDs for that matter) without having to resort to contact lenses is a godsend, any way you slice it.
Vuzix M100 safety glasses with Smart GOLD Safety lenses are available now from Rochester Optical outlets.
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