My final year dissertation focuses on programmable smart glasses, designed as an open platform for programmers and makers. Developing smart glasses typically requires PCB design, 3D modeling, and optical calibration, making it a complex project.
This dissertation explores the creation of a programmable smart glasses product that allows users to develop and implement custom applications without the need to design and manufacture the hardware themselves.
This project aims to bridge the gap between hardware complexity and software innovation, enabling developers to experiment with smart glasses technology in a flexible and accessible way.
This is the 3D model of the smart glasses frame, designed to house all electronic components while maintaining a lightweight structure.
Full 3D Model of Smart Glasses
Side View of the Frame
Top View Showing Component Placement
This project features a custom-designed PCB that integrates an ESP32 microcontroller directly onto the board, rather than relying on a pre-made development board. The PCB is designed to fit within the smart glasses frame while providing support for display, power management, and other essential components.
Circuit Schematic of the PCB
PCB Layout
3D Render of the PCB
Printed PCB
The PCB has been fabricated and is currently undergoing assembly. The next steps involve finalizing the soldering of all components, testing power delivery and signal integrity, and integrating the board with the smart glasses frame.
The heads-up display (HUD) is achieved by reflecting a small display onto a beam splitter, allowing the user to see digital information overlaid on their real-world view. The image below illustrates the iterative development process, starting with a simple reflection test, followed by a series of progressively refined mounts. Each iteration improves optical clarity, and ease of integration until the final version is seamlessly housed within the smart glasses frame.
This image provides a first-person perspective of the prototype HUD in action, as seen by the wearer. The digital overlay appears in the user’s field of view, displaying real-time data while maintaining visibility of the surrounding environment.
Blue acrylic was used for early prototyping due to its affordability and ease of replacement. However, for the final iteration, a small piece of glass with a reflective coating will be used. This material was challenging to source and is more fragile, so it has been reserved for the final version of the prototype.
The prototype includes a workout metrics application designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the smart glasses and serve as the basis for user trials. The application displays key workout metrics such as pace, distance, and elapsed time. Additionally, it provides navigation directions using an arrow indicator and distance until the next turn. It communicates with a mobile app to retrieve GPS data from the phone and uses the phone's mobile hotspot to connect to GraphHopper for route calculations.
This page highlights some of the early design and prototyping work carried out during this project. I am currently making final adjustments to the prototype in preparation for user testing and evaluation, while also working on the dissertation write-up. The dissertation will detail the design process and explore the market potential of this project.
Once the dissertation is complete, I plan to publish a more in-depth page with additional insights and final results.