As we await the unveiling of Apple’s first AR headset in the coming months, Xiaomi, a Chinese tech company, has unveiled its latest breakthrough in AR technology, the Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition, at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC 2023).
Unlike Apple, which has been postponing the launch of its AR headset since 2017, Xiaomi packs the world with low-latency wireless connectivity lenses that allow wearers to switch between the real world and simulations. Just last week, we reported that the popular Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, said Luxshare ICT is likely to develop Apple’s first-generation AR/MR headset in the first quarter of 2023.
Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition
The Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition is Xiaomi’s first wireless AR glasses, providing a retina-level adaptive display that adjusts to the lighting environment. The AR technology comes with enhanced connectivity and supports a comprehensive range of applications for larger displays.
The AR glasses offer up to 1200 nit-to-eye brightness for a strong foundation for AR applications. Plus, they’re equipped with electrochromic lenses that can adapt to different lighting conditions. These lenses offer a blackout mode for an immersive experience and a transparent mode that combines reality and virtual elements.
Boasting A Retina-level Near-eye Display
Commenting on the new AR Technology, Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s CEO said the device offers an immersive visual experience thanks to its retina-level near-eye display.
This device, which weighs only 126 g, uses high-speed connectivity buses created by Xiaomi to provide wireless latency as low as 3 ms and complete link latency as low as 50 ms. These glasses offer a cord-free design similar to wired alternatives and are built on the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1 platform with Xiaomi’s low-latency communication link.
“Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition features a lightweight yet sturdy design with a magnesium-lithium alloy structure and carbon fiber materials. “Its electrochromic lenses allow for seamless access to reality and the virtual world at a single click,” he added.”
Additionally, for a clear picture display, the AR glasses contain a free-form optical module with two MicroOLED panels and light-guiding prisms. The content is reflected on three surfaces before it reaches the user’s eyes thanks to these prisms’ ability to refract and bend light within a constrained volume.