CES 2020 may have missed out on the pandemic thanks to its early January start but the 2021 event will no longer be the expansive tech show in Las Vegas, going digital like many others. Even so, tech companies are still revealing new hardware with Lenovo unveiling its ThinkReality A3 augmented reality (AR) glasses today.
An update to 2019’s ThinkReality A6 AR glasses, Lenovo’s new design offers a range of improvements over its predecessor – and not just a snazzier aesthetic. The ThinkReailty A3 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 platform (previously Snapdragon 845), has dual fish-eye cameras for 6DoF tracking, comes in at under 130g (down from 380g), has stereoscopic 1080p displays, and an 8MP RGB camera for 1080p video.
Designed for companies looking to increase efficiency and lower downtimes as well as improve remote collaboration, Lenovo’s ThinkReality A3 glasses can be tethered to a PC (PC Edition) when in the office or select Motorola smartphones (Industrial Edition) – which have a Snapdragon 800 series processor or better – via a USB-C cable when out and about. The device supports features including voice and gesture recognition for hands-free control.
“The A3 is a next generation augmented reality solution – light, powerful and versatile. The smart glasses are part of a comprehensive integrated digital solution from Lenovo that includes the advanced AR device, ThinkReality software, and Motorola mobile phones. Whether working in virtual spaces or supporting remote assistance, the ThinkReality A3 enhances workers’ abilities to do more wherever they are,” said Jon Pershke, Lenovo Vice President of Strategy and Emerging Business, Intelligent Device Group in a statement.
There’s been no indication of price at the moment but companies will be able to get hold of the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses in select markets from the middle 2021.
2021 is likely to see a boom in wearable AR tech as companies continue to adjust to remote, socially distanced collaboration. Whilst enterprise use cases will dominate adoption, the consumer market isn’t being ignored with the likes of Nreal Light slowly becoming available through mobile network carriers. Plus Facebook and Ray-Ban’s smart glasses are expected this year.
For further AR updates from CES 2021, keep reading VRFocus.