VSP Vision Care is preparing to release its smart eyewear advertised as the Level in March and a new demo video was recently uploaded to the company’s YouTube channel, reminding potential customers of the product’s capabilities ahead of its market debut. In short, the smart glasses are capable of tracking your step count and the number of calories burned while offering smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth in conjunction with a dedicated mobile app. Unlike other smart eyewear solutions such as the Google Glass, the Level doesn’t have a heads-up display or a camera, which leads to a much less conspicuous exterior design. Its sole purpose is adding activity tracking to prescription eyewear, though its smartphone application does provide a few other interesting features, such as giving users the ability to walk for charity. Specifically, participants will be given a daily step goal that rewards users with a number of points once achieved. These points can then be donated toward free eye exams for children, elders, veterans, or homeless.
In terms of hardware, the Level glasses contain a Bluetooth module for smartphone connectivity, an accelerometer, gyroscope, and a magnetometer. These components are located inside one of the temples and are powered by a battery rated for about five days of usage. Once drained, the battery can be recharged through a magnetic charging port located near the hinge of the wearable which only becomes visible when its temples are tucked. As far as the application is concerned, it can display the number of steps and calories burned throughout the day, week, or month. The app also has a social component that allows users to connect with friends and provides a self-explanatory function called Find My Glasses.
The product was originally unveiled in 2016 and is now ready to hit the market for the price of $270 excluding lenses. The Level glasses are primarily meant as prescriptive eyewear, and the idea is that people who need to wear prescription glasses can take advantage of activity tracking without having to rely on an additional wrist device such as a fitness band. It’s a simple concept that focuses on a more niche audience by delivering a fairly small but well-defined set of features wrapped in a comfortable and conventional design seeking to make the overall package more accessible.