Augmented Reality is the next big thing in the tech world and no company wants to be left behind. Toshiba, too, tries to grab a share of the upcoming market with its dynaEdge AR glasses, but its approach is more intriguing than any other AR release. While other companies are focusing on mixed reality, Toshiba tried to revive the wearable computer fad. Toshiba’s dynaEdge is not an AR glass, to be honest. Not the kind of AR glass we have been introduced lately. DynaEdge features Toshiba AR100 Head Mounted Display connected to dynaEdge Mobile Mini PC. So, it is basically a Windows 10 computer made wearable as an eyepiece.
The dynaEdge AR glass has an adjustable arm to be worn as an eyepiece; it can also be mounted on helmets or equipped with a headgear. The arm has a 0.26-inch-sized, 640 x 360 well-positioned and bright display which produces good visuals. The tiny display ensures that it does not get into your field of vision as an obstruction but an assistance. The arm has been deftly designed to be a good fit for right-eye as well as left-eye dominant users. In addition, the arm has a proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and a gyroscope for better user experience.
Unlike Google Glass or HoloLens, Toshiba dynaEdge is not a glass with computer in-built. The dynaEdge AR glass is powered by dynaEdge Mobile Mini PC which packs in 6th generation Intel M5 processors with 16 GB RAM. These glasses run Windows 10 which guarantees a large pool of apps for all your needs. The mini PC also features 512 GB solid state drive and a removable battery.
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Toshiba has provided a five-button controller on the mini PC for navigating the computer space. However, for easier and hands-free navigation, use the touch-pad on the side of the arm or voice commands. A 5 MP camera and noise-canceling earphones make video conferencing practical and hassle-free.
While Toshiba is quite excited about its new product, it is also well-aware of the fact that dynaEdge glasses may not be as exciting for people. These glasses are not coming with a major breakthrough in AR technology. In fact, they may be just a new entry in smart glass or wearable computer market. Toshiba has, therefore, focused to make it pro-utility device and not a tech gimmick.
The intended users for Toshiba’s AR glasses are the industrial workers, on-site engineers, and other workplace employees. The smart glasses will serve as a superior alternative to other hand-held devices as well as laptops. A worker or engineer working on some system can easily reference the manuals and work simultaneously. The glasses are a good tool for remote troubleshooting as well. Any remote expert can be easily contacted with See-What-I-See video calls and asked for assistance.
Toshiba has put great efforts into making these AR glasses user-centric and this can be the game-changer. Without any second thought, they are one of the best wearable computing products. But does this segment still hold potential for growth and its revival worth trying? Only time will tell. Nonetheless, the glass will be a major technological highlight of 2018 and equally important for Toshiba.
Toshiba dynaEdge AR glasses will hit the shelf in the third quarter of 2018 with a price tag of $1899. Are you going to try it?