Xiaomi unveils Android-powered smart glasses concept with microLED display

The glasses weigh just 51 grams.

What you need to know

• Xiaomi has showcased its first smart glasses concept.
• The Xiaomi Smart Glasses feature advanced MicroLED optical waveguide imaging technology.
• The smart glasses run Android and support the company’s XiaoAI voice assistant.

Xiaomi has unveiled an Android-powered smart wearable device that can display notifications, take photos, make phone calls, navigate, and a lot more. As confirmed by Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, however, the Xiaomi Smart Glasses are a technology concept.

The Xiaomi Smart Glasses use MicroLED imaging technology to achieve a form that is very similar to regular glasses. Xiaomi says it chose MicroLED over OLED as the technology offers a higher pixel density and a simpler structure that allows for a more compact display and easier screen integration.

The Xiaomi Smart Glasses’ display chip is just 2.4mm x 2.02mm in size, with each individual pixel sized at 4μm. Xiaomi claims the ultra-efficient monochrome display solution can reach a peak brightness of 2 million nits to ensure it can be clearly visible even in harsh direct sunlight.

Unlike the recently launched Facebook Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses, Xiaomi’s Smart Glasses have been designed as an independent smart wearable capable of doing most of the things that the best Android phones can do. Xiaomi says the glasses are equipped with a total of 497 components — including a battery, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules, and a touch pad.

The glasses are powered by a quad-core Arm processor and have an integrated 5MP camera. In addition to taking photos, the camera can be used to translate text in photos when you’re traveling. With the help of a proprietary translating algorithm and the built-in microphone, the Xiaomi Smart Glasses can even transcribe audio into text with translations in real-time.

Since the glasses are just a “technology concept,” Xiaomi won’t be selling them to the public. However, the concept does suggest that the company has some big plans for the AR wearables space.

Amazon Echo Frames (2nd Gen)

From $220 at Amazon

Amazon’s Echo Frames are smart audio glasses that offer hands-free access to the company’s Alexa voice assistant. They can be used to listen to music, control your smart home, access the latest news, make calls, and more.