Epson Moverio BT-300

Google Glass failed to take off at the time of its release— the world wasn’t ready just yet for AR. It was raw; consumers didn’t want it, nor did businesses. Now, we find ourselves in the year of successful released AR/VR technologies. Slowly transitioning to adoptions of such, we take a look at how Epson is pushing for a technology where even Google once failed.

- Gerry Gaviola

DESIGN

The Epson Moverio is no Google Glass; unlike it, the Moverio consists of a headset and a controller that has its corresponding pros and cons. Augmented reality devices are supposed to effectively tweak or enhance the way you view your environment, wherever you may be. And unlike VR technologies that need not be extremely portable due to it merely projecting virtual images, portability is key when it comes to AR. Point is, for an AR device that’s supposed to successfully augment your environment, it needs to be portable. The Moverio does fit the description of portable, but only just.

Case in point, there’s a bulky controller you’d have to carry with you all the time. Although it’s weight, length and width, could be negligible to the user, it is the thickness that puts it off. True AR is supposed to be seamless, wireless, and is supposed to provide you an experience that doesn’t require you to carry an almost inch-thick device just for you to savor the experience.

The wire adds an additional obstacle to a seamless design. Epson, in its commercial, markets the Moverio as a portable device that’s ready for active lifestyle. It is particular hard to imagine riding bikes and running while a wire constantly dangles by your face. And in case you’ve missed it, the headset has no standalone battery. It’s pretty much paperweight without the bulky controller. Unfortunate? Yes. Very. And if you’d think that you’d be able to adjust it to comfortably fit your head, then you’d be wrong. It sports a one size fits all design folks.