Meta unveiled its new Orion augmented reality (AR) glasses during its latest media event Connect 2024.

The company's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that the glasses were the first real, augmented reality-based glasses to be developed. 

Meta believes these glasses are the most advanced ever, having developed several innovative technologies from Reality Labs over the past decade, according to the company. Orion's glasses are the most advanced augmented reality display, offering a field of view of about 70 degrees, the largest to date compared to the size of the glasses, and the lenses are made from silicon carbide instead of glass, making them extremely lightweight. Meta uses ultra-small uLED projectors, efficient in power consumption.

Orion has seven cameras and small sensors embedded under magnesium glasses, which combine strength and lightweight. The Glasses also support sound commands and eye movement to control, but Meta has developed a brand new way of controlling using hand tracking and EMG bracelet, allowing users to pull, click, and scroll easily.

Instead of using market-based processors, Meta has developed a highly specialized dedicated energy-efficient chip, adapting to AI algorithms, and reducing the heat generated by operating technologies such as hand and eye tracking, positioning, and mapping.

To make Orion small and fully wireless, Meta has developed a separate device called Puck that has two processors, one of which is dedicated to Meta. This device provides the computer capability required to provide seamless graphics, AI operation and some other technologies.

It is worth noting that Orion glasses are still a prototype, not a consumer product yet. However, Meta has begun to share this model with its employees and some selected audiences to receive feedback and improve the product.

The company plans to launch augmented reality glasses for consumers in the near future, but will improve the quality of the supply and reduce the size of the glasses, as well as find ways to manufacture them at an affordable cost.