PiGlass Is a DIY Alternative to Google Glass

Google Glass was an interesting, if controversial, product. The idea of having a computer available and in use at all times (not just a smartphone in your pocket) seemed like the next big step in computing when Glass was announced. Unfortunately, the general public didn’t ever seem to get on board with the concept. Maybe it was the price, maybe it was the privacy concerns, or maybe it was just wasn’t fashionable.

Whatever the case, the consumer version of Google Glass was discontinued less than a year after its public release. Despite the lack of commercial success, many people are still interested in the potential of a Glass-like device, and have turned to DIY options. That’s what Matt Desmarais has done for his PiGlass project.

PiGlass uses a Raspberry Pi Zero W in conjunction with a Vufine+ Wearable Display to recreate many of the functions of the original Google Glass. It captures video, which is fed into the Pi, and then processed using OpenCV. From there, the video is output through the Vufine+ so that Desmarais can see the processed video.

Control for the PiGlass is provided either via voice commands or with a Bluetooth keyboard. While it’s still in progress and Desmarais is working on additional features, it can already do the essentials like take pictures, record videos, and play music. At the moment the interface is very basic, but he is planning to flesh it out to provide a more comprehensive display. Keep an eye on this project to see where it goes!

[h/t: Reddit]