Imagine that you could put on a pair of headphones, plug them into your phone or tablet and be transported into a superior world of sports viewing – at home or on-the-go. Imagine that you could see and hear any sports content you liked with pristine sound and picture quality, all without a screen.
The Avegant Glyph can make it happen.
This innovative new product will revolutionize the way consumers view content. This wonder of personal display technology is compact, comfortable and easy to wear on the go. The product itself resembles a large pair of headphones and includes a visor that can be pulled down to cover the eyes.
The Glyph employs Virtual Retina Display. Allan Evans, CTO and founder of Avegant, developed the technology while researching night vision applications in a national lab based in Washington state. The technology uses a micromirror array and combination of optics to reflect images directly onto the retina, mimicking the way humans naturally see light.
The primary byproducts of this feature are vastly improved picture quality and 3D viewing without the need for 3D glasses. The technology is completely safe for eyes – the light source is a low-powered LED that works with the micromirror array and optics to create the crisp image. The Glyph provides approximately a 45 degree field of view – looking into the device will result in what appears to be an 80-inch screen eight feet away.
How will this impact sports fans? Fans are constantly searching for better ways to see and hear game action. They are also looking for round-the-clock, on-the-go access to their favorite teams and matchups. HDTV has been perhaps the biggest technological advancement in terms of sports viewing in the last 20 years, until now.
The Glyph can be used to stream content from any HDMI-enabled device. This means that you simply need to plug it into your Xbox, laptop, iPhone, etc. and watch away. The Glyph will impact technology and sports lovers alike. For example, this on-the-go device will enhance an already growing trend of mobile fans viewing sports content in places other than the stadium or their living rooms. The Super Bowl was just streamed live via the Fox Sports Go app, and live streaming of sports content is on the rise.
Initially, the Glyph drew comparisons to the Oculus Rift. However, according to Grant Martin, Head of Marketing and Product Strategy at Avegant, the Glyph is not going after immersive gaming like the Rift. “We’re trying to create a premium video and audio experience that can be used for mobile applications and also at home – with no special source content,” said Martin.
One thing Martin thinks sports fan will particularly appreciate is the integrated head-tracker. The tracker facilitates a change in perspective as the user’s head moves, providing a real sense of immersion in the content. According to Martin, “This allows for more immersive media consumption – say, watching a football game from the 50 yard line where you can look left and right down the field – but also for enhanced simulator experiences. Imagine using an accelerometer control to simulate batting practice or field conditions on a tennis court. There’s all sorts of simulation that this tech can enable.”
The 3D viewing images are also crystal clear with this Virtual Retina Display. One of the greatest hindrances of fans watching games in 3D is the need to wear glasses while also looking at a 3D-enabled TV. “Extra hardware is always a barrier to entry in any new technology. If 3D viewing can be simplified and refined that market will surely grow,” Martin said. “Hopefully we can help facilitate that.”
The Glyph was funded through the booming crowdsourcing vehicle, Kickstarter. Avegant reached the original goal of $250,000 in just four hours and ended up raising $1,509,506 in total. Backers contributing $500 or more will receive a beta model of the Glyph around December of this year.
According to Martin, there will definitely be some changes from the Alpha prototype showed on Kickstarter and the Beta prototype that will eventually be shipped to backers. For example, the weight will be decreased by about 25 percent, the ear cans will be slimmed and the flip-down ergonomic system will be rebuilt. The end result should be a product that is cleaner and easier to use.
Avegant’s goal is to ultimately bring the Glyph to the consumer market, and beyond that, future possibilities are great. Martin believes that the Glyph Beta is just the beginning of what will eventually be many future generations of the technology.
Certainly others will try to mimic this new technology. But Avegant has a unique set of optics and hardware that are extremely hard to replicate and patented. The best place to go for this new technology is the original. The Glyph can be pre-ordered on Avegant’s website.