Meta's Orion Glasses: A New Era in Augmented Reality

The Orion glasses offer an extraordinary augmented reality experience, seamlessly blending digital visuals with the real world.

### Meta's Orion Glasses: A Revolutionary Step in Augmented Reality
* 👓 Ed described his experience with Meta's Orion glasses as "**the most profound experience of a new technology**" in his career, highlighting the impressive performance of the device.
* 🌍 The glasses allow users to see the natural world while projecting video images and graphics as holograms, creating a **seamless blend of reality and virtual elements**.
* 📞 The lenses, made of silicon carbide, ensure that users can engage in video calls while **maintaining their normal vision**, making it easy to **interact with the environment**.
* 🔒 One significant feature is the **discreet display of sensitive messages** on the lenses, which prevents others from seeing private information, **enhancing user privacy**.
* 🍍 Ed demonstrated the glasses' capability by asking Meta AI for a recipe using visible ingredients, showcasing the technology's **ability to identify and tag physical objects in real-time**.
* 💰 Meta has invested **$50 billion** into developing this technology, transitioning from a social media company to a leader in **augmented reality and AI**.
* 🔧 Currently, Orion is an internal product not available for sale, with plans to develop a consumer version potentially costing between **$1,000 to $1,500** in the future.
* 📈 The use of **silicon carbide** represents a breakthrough in materials science, raising questions about its implications for the **supply chain** and **future technology developments** in augmented reality.

THE BLOOMBERG TECHNOLOGY COHOST. GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US. YOU HAVE TRIED THESE. TALK ABOUT THE GLASSES. ED: YEAH. I HAD TWO HOURS WITH THE META TEAM AND ORION YESTERDAY. WHAT I WOULD SAY PURELY FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT AS A TECHNOLOGY JOURNALIST IT WAS THE MOST PROFOUND EXPERIENCE OF A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT I'VE HAD IN MY CAREER SO FAR. I SAY THAT FOR TWO REASONS. ONE, I HAVE DEMOED A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY. MOST ANALOGOUS BEING VR, AI OR MIXED REALITY HEADSETS. SOME OF META'S MIXED REALITY HEADSETS DID NOT WORK THAT WELL. BUT THE PERFORMANCE OF ORION, AT LEAST IN MY EXPERIENCE WAS BRILLIANT. I'M A GLASSES WHERE. FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT WATCHING

ON TV, THE EXPERIENCE IS SIMPLE. IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE WEARING A PAIR OF GLASSES. YOU SEE THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND YOU. VIDEO IMAGES AND GRAPHICS ARE PROJECTED AS HOLOGRAMS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LENSES IN YOUR GLASSES. IN MANY WAYS, IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT. CAROL: ALL RIGHT. YOU SOUND PRETTY IMPRESSED. YOU LOOK PRETTY GOOD IN THE GLASSES. HAVING SAID THAT -- ED: THANK YOU. CAROL: HOW WOULD YOU USE IT? TELL US HOW WE MIGHT USE THEM. ED: THE MOST KEY POINT ON THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE IS THE LENSES ARE NOT MADE OF GLASS. THEY'RE MADE OF SILICON CARBIDE. THE REASON I STATE THE SPECIFICS AS YOU CAN SEE NORMALLY. IF YOU'RE NOT ENGAGED WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE PROJECTIONS OR HOLOGRAMS, THERE JUST GLASSES.

YOU'RE NOT INCUMBENT IN YOUR VISION. -- ENCUMBERED IN YOUR VISION. SAY YOU WILL VIDEO CALL ME. YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE VIDEO CALL WITH ME. I COULD SEE YOU AS IF YOU AND I ARE CONDUCTING THE CONVERSATION VIA ZOOM ON A DESKTOP OR LAPTOP OR AN IPHONE. THAT IS THE QUALITY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE ME IN SOME INSTANCES BUT I WOULD HAVE THE SAME TIME MY NORMAL VISION THROUGH MY OWN HUMAN EYESIGHT OF THE WORLD AROUND ME. THE ABILITY TO DROP IN AND OUT OF A VIRTUAL WORLD WHILE STILL BEING HERE PRESENT IN THIS ONE. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY THAT ON TELEVISION. I'M BEING SINCERE. CAROL: WE NEED TO CUE THE MUSIC. THE CREEPY MUSIC. YOU'RE SAYING I COULD BE ON THE

SUBWAY AND I WOULD BE WEARING THEM, ASSUMING I HAVE CONNECTIVITY, AND I COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION SEEING SOMEONE BUT ALSO MAKING SURE I DON'T FALL INTO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OR WHATEVER, RIGHT? ED: YEAH. ONE OBSERVATION I MADE AT THE TIME WHEN I WAS WITH THE META TEAM, THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF IT BEING DISCRETE AND PRIVACY. IMAGINE YOU'RE IN A CROWDED ENVIRONMENT AND YOU GET A TEXT MESSAGE FROM SOMEBODY THAT IS SENSITIVE. IF YOU'RE USING A SMARTPHONE, THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE LEANING OVER YOUR SHOULDER THAT CAN SEE IT. IN THE ORION CASE STUDY, THE MESSAGE APPEARS ON YOUR SCREEN, THE LENSES, THE SILKEN CARBIDE LENSES USING THE TWO PROJECTORS. NO ONE CAN SEE IT BUT YOU.

THAT'S ONE THING. THE OTHER EXAMPLE TO WALK THROUGH IT IS I HAD ORION ON MY FACE. I LOOKED AT A TABLE OF INGREDIENTS AND GROCERIES. I SAID TO META AI, GIVE ME A RECIPE USING THE INGREDIENTS ON THE TABLE. IT BROUGHT UP A LIST OF INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE THIS SMOOTHIE, BUT ALSO TAGGED SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS. EACH PHYSICAL OBJECT, A PINEAPPLE OR WHATEVER, WAS TAGGED WITH THE WORD PINEAPPLE, STEP ONE, STEP TWO, STEP THREE. IT SOUNDS SIMPLE, BUT IT WORKED. I COULD HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF A GIGGLE UNDER THE BREATH. WHY DO WE TALK ABOUT THE SHARE REACTION? IF ONE PERSON OR SECTION OF OUR AUDIENCE IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, IT IS THE MARKET. I FIND THAT SO INTERESTING.

STEPHEN: THIS IS AN AREA WHERE META PUT IN $50 BILLION. IS THIS WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN BUILDING UP TO? ED: EXACTLY. THAT'S A PERFECT QUESTION. WHEN I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA IN 2018, META, FACEBOOK, WAS A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY. I WAS THE ONLY JOURNALIST STANDING HERE THE DAY THEY LIFTED OFF THE TARP AND IT HAD CHANGED THE LOGO TO META. THEN IT WAS THE METAVERSE COMPANY. THEN INVESTORS PUNISHED META FOR ITS EXTREME COMMITMENT TO AI AND COMMITMENT TO REALITY LABS. NOW THEY ARE REWARDING THE FORWARD. IT IS STILL AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTION. THEY PUT A LOT INTO RAY-BAN OR YOU HAVE NORMAL GLASSES WITH META AI INTEGRATED. THE AR PRODUCT ORION IS DIFFERENT. DOES THAT MEAN THAT IS THE

FUTURE AND WE MOVE AWAY FROM THE VIRTUAL MIXED REALITY, WHICH THEY ALSO UNVEILED TODAY. THEY HAVE A NEW GENERATION OF MORE AFFORDABLE QUEST HEADSETS. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS? ONE CASE STUDY IS INSTAGRAM. I PULLED AT MY FEET IN THE ORION SETTING. I USE MY THUMB -- WE CAN GET INTO THIS, BUT BASICALLY, YOU CONTROL ACTIONS BY PHYSICAL MOVEMENT WITH YOUR HAND. IT IS LIKE FLIPPING A COIN AND USING THAT MOTION. THERE ARE PEOPLE LISTENING TO IT AND MIMICKING THIS, FLIPPING A COIN. THAT IS HOW YOU CONTROL THE FEET. IS THAT WHERE WE ARE GOING? I THINK META HAS MANY DIFFERENT PATHWAYS TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING WHICH IT IS. IT'S AN INTERESTING DEBATE. CAROL: WHAT IS THE COST OF IT?

IS IT MORE A CONSUMER ITEM OR A COMMERCIAL USAGE ITEM? WHO DO THEY HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT OVER THEIR SHOULDER? ED: IT HAS NO COST BECAUSE IT WILL NOT BE SOLD. RIGHT NOW IT IS AN INTERNALLY ONLY PRODUCT. WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS DOG FOODING, META OR TEXT BE FOR EMPLOYEES ONLY USING THE TECHNOLOGY AND STRESS TESTING IT. I DON'T HAVE A PRICE FOR IT BUT EVERYTHING INSIDE IS PROPRIETARY. 10 OR SO PROPRIETARY IN-HOUSE DEVELOPED CHIPS. IT IS BLEEDING EXPENSIVE AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO FROM HERE IS A GREAT AND ENGINEER TOWARD A FUTURE PRODUCT OR VERSION OF ORION THAT COSTS THE SAME AS A HIGH-END PC LAPTOP, SAY $1000 TO $1500. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY SENSE

OF WHEN. IT COULD BE YEARS, COULD BE MANY FACTORS READER THAN YEARS, BUT AT LEAST WE MIGHT GET A CHANCE TO ASK SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT KNOW LATER TODAY. STEPHEN: WE ARE GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO THE CTO OF META LATER ON THE PROGRAM. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE IDEA THAT SILICON CARBIDE, IN TERMS OF SUPPLY CHAIN, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IT BEING FAR AWAY BEFORE THIS IS SOMETHING PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR HANDS ON, BUT ARE YOU ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN FOR THIS? ED: I'M ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN. THIS IS THE KIND OF QUESTION I LOVE. EVERY TIME WE HAVE NEWS LIKE THIS, WE ASK, WHAT IS THE INVESTOR REACTION? YOU FORGET THAT TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES DO TECH.

SO LOOKING CARBIDE IS A BREAKTHROUGH IN MATERIALS BECAUSE IT BENDS LIGHT AT EXTREME ANGLES. IT MEANS YOU CAN SEE THE NATURAL WORLD WITH YOUR OWN EYES AND HAPPY HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGE WITHOUT THE RAINBOW EFFECT THAT SO MANY HAVE. THERE IS A SUPPLY CHAIN FOR SILICON CARBIDE BECAUSE IT IS A COMMONLY USED MATERIAL IN EV FOR CARBON CONVERSION AND BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. SO I WAS SURPRISED THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING META DID WITHOUT ACADEMIA. THEY DID IT THEMSELVES. NOW I WONDER HOW MANY TECH COMPANIES ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT MATERIAL AS A SOLUTION FOR THEIR OWN AMBITIONS IN THE FIELD OF AUGMENTED REALITY. CAROL: ANYTHING ELSE OF NOTE WE GOT FROM ZUCKERBERG IN HIS COMMENTS

EARLIER TODAY? ED: I THINK ZUCKERBERG POSITIONED META -- I THINK IT WAS EARLIER THIS YEAR, THOUGH I LOSE SENSE OF SPACE AND TIME -- AS WANTING TO BE THE WORLD'S LEADING OR MOST IMPORTANT AI COMPANY. WHAT'S CURIOUS AS THEY ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON THE HARDWARE SIDE WHILE QUIETLY GOING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS ON THE SOFTWARE SIDE. YOU HAVE AN UPDATED VERSION OF META AI USING AN UPDATED VERSION OF YAMA MODEL 3.2. THEY CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMITMENT TO OPEN SOURCE. INVESTORS WILL HAVE ONE QUESTION, WHICH IS YOUR BREAD AND BUTTER BUSINESS IS STILL ADVERTISING AROUND SOCIAL PLATFORMS. IS THERE EVIDENCE THAT THE AI WORK TRANSLATES TO THAT? THE ANSWER IS PROBABLY YES. A LOT OF ADVERTISERS ARE USING THE TECHNOLOGY IN A WAY THAT ADDS VALUE TO THE ADS FOR BOTH

PARTIES, AND THAT MEANS MAKING MORE MONEY ON TOPLINE GROWTH. THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL ASK AGAIN WHEN EARNINGS ROLLED AROUND IN THE COMING MONTHS. STEPHEN: WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF META'S CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER WHEN YOU SPEAK TO HIM LATER? ED: ANDREA BOSWORTH'S TEAM IS STANDING BEHIND THE CAMERA AND ITS BLOOMBERG POLICY NOT TO SPOIL INTERVIEWS, SO IF I TELL YOU, THEY WILL ALL KNOW. I THINK THE BASICS. IT IS WELL AND GOOD TO SAY WE HAVE HAD A BREAKTHROUGH AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR YEARS AND WE WANT CONSUMERS TO HAVE IT WHEN IT'S READY. IF IT'S READY IN 10 YEARS, PHONED ME THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN

BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. CAROL: BUT YOU WERE BLOWN AWAY. YOU SAID THE MOST PROFOUND EXPERIENCE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY IN MY CAREER. WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PRETTY COOL THINGS THE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO. BUT YOU ARE BLOWN AWAY. ED: YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S SIMPLE. I AM A GLASSES WEARER AND THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. YOU PUT THE GLASSES ON AND THERE IS A WRISTBAND AND ACCOMPANYING PUCK YOU PUT IN YOUR POCKET. IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE TO LEARN, YOU USE YOUR EYES AS THE MOUSE OF YOUR COMPUTER, A PINCH OF YOUR FINGER AS THE LEFT CLICK, THE PINCH OF THE MIDDLE FINGER WITH THE THUMB TO GO TO THE HOME SCREEN. YOU LEAVE THE T-REX ARM

AWKWARDLY OUT, BUT IN TIME IT BECAME NATURAL. FASCINATING. CAROL: YOUR EYES FELT FINE AFTER YOU TOOK THEM OFF? ED: YEAH. I WEAR GLASSES MOST DAYS, BUT I PUT CONTACT LENSES IN FOR THIS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PRESCRIPTION. BUT YEAH, I FELT GOOD.

Meta Unveils Orion Augmented-Reality Prototype Glasses

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Bloomberg Technology

Meta's Orion Glasses: A Game-Changer in Mixed Reality

The Orion glasses, developed by Meta, offer a profound technological experience by projecting video images and graphics as holograms within the lenses.

Made of silicon carbide, the lenses provide a seamless transition between the real world and virtual interactions, such as video calls.

The glasses allow users to drop in and out of a virtual world while maintaining their normal vision, offering a unique blend of presence in both worlds.

Meta's Vision for Discreet AI Integration

Meta's AI-powered glasses, Orion, offer discreet and private messaging, ensuring sensitive information is only visible to the wearer.

The glasses also provide real-time assistance by tagging physical objects and offering step-by-step instructions for tasks, like making a smoothie.

Meta's significant investment in AI and reality labs is now being rewarded, as the company shifts its focus from social media to immersive technology and augmented reality.

Meta's New Generation of Quest Headsets and the Future of Mixed Reality

Meta has unveiled a new generation of more affordable Quest headsets, moving away from virtual mixed reality.

The company's internal product, Orion, is being used for stress testing with proprietary in-house developed chips, aiming for a future version that could cost $1000 to $1500.

The timeline for the product's release is uncertain, and the supply chain for components like silicon carbide is being considered for future production.

Meta's use of silicon carbide, a material that bends light at extreme angles, is revolutionizing the perception of the natural world and holographic images.

The company's self-driven approach to this material, commonly used in EVs, raises questions about its influence on other tech companies' ambitions in augmented reality.

Zuckerberg's positioning of Meta as a leading AI company, coupled with their progress on hardware and software, aims to translate AI work into value for advertisers and drive topline growth.

Ed was profoundly impressed by a new technology that uses glasses and a wristband for control.

The system allows users to navigate by using their eyes and fingers, with movements becoming natural over time.

Ed's eyes felt fine after using the non-prescription glasses, and he found the experience fascinating.