It’s spring of 2026, and with all the crazy advances in computer technology, it’s really hard to keep up with all the innovations out available to the public to enhance or increase their quality of life. (I know, I know, when are we all gonna get flying cars?!?!? (I keep asking that, but Elon Musk has put me on hold.) You may not realize it, but if you are willing to fork out the dough for top notch computer technology, look no further than the end of your nose.
Yeah, they actually have glasses that are miniature computers. This is NOT to be confused with computer glasses that many of us wear when we are striving away at work. Those are just glasses focused for the screen distance so you can function better at your computer. Those may run a couple hundred dollars for customized frames and lenses, but I’m actually talking about glasses frames that have computers built into them that allow you to interact with it and see your world with a different perspective.
They are very high tech, using such advances as in-frame cameras, displays, and sensors to allow the wearer an upgraded view and sense of reality. With artificial intelligence assistance available, you can take your reality to the next level (and beyond). They can show you maps and direct your steps to get from here to there, as well as eventually being able to translate foreign languages in real time as you are listening.
You can ask it to play a song and you will hear it through the bone conduction properties of the frame. I’ve personally worn one (One of my patients bought it and brought it by so I could see it. The sound quality was really amazing.)
You can capture photos and video, integrate it into social media, or ask it a question like, “What am I looking at?” and it will tell you, as best it can. These frames are available from quality vendors such as Oakley and Ray-ban, as well as new players into the market.
My son recently took his MCAT exam and before the test began, he had to show the proctor his glasses and prove he didn’t have these smart glasses on when he took the test. (I guess that really happens, or tries to, in our world today.) I’m sure these would give the wearer an unfair advantage over everyone else who isn’t wearing them. They really are that legit.
You can get them in clear or sunglasses, or both. You can get some that are dimmable. (Can you believe that? If there’s a market for it, someone will sell it.)
These glasses are not for those who are extremely active and could potentially break them or get them knocked off their face; these are glasses that are made to augment reality and give the wearer an increased sense and view of life and their surroundings.
They would be fun to wear and learning how to use them effectively may take a little getting used to, but I think just like other technologies of the past that were a bit hard to believe and yet became commonplace, (like the cell phone), I think this is just another step in the modernization of human society. Like it or not, they are probably here to stay and are going to be more commonplace as the months and years go by.
To some, the cost may be a bit prohibitive, (you can pay anywhere from $500 to over $1000 for a base set), but as with anything new and novel, we may see prices fall a bit, even as we see the technology in them increase. I don’t own a pair myself, but given the right situation, I might be persuaded to jump into the pool (not literally) and try them out.
And don’t get me started on smart contact lenses……that’s probably a whole other article.
