Epson, providers of the Moverio augmented reality (AR) smart eyewear platform has announced the immediate availability of its Moverio BT-300 Developer Edition. The new AR platform is designed for software developers creating new experiences in augmented reality. Additionally, the highly anticipated Moverio BT-300 Drone Edition glasses will be available to pilots later this month. Optimized for use with DJI hardware, the Moverio BT-300 Drone Edition glasses will enhance the safety, productivity and capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The Moverio BT-300 Developer Edition is the lightest Si-OLED (organic light emitting diode) digital display technology binocular, see-though augmented reality smart glasses available. Featuring Epson’s silicon-based Si-OLED digital display technology, the glasses are powered by the Android 5.1 OS and run on a quad core Intel Atom X5 processor. The Moverio platform enables developers to create life-like 3D AR experiences, while being more than 70 per cent lighter than Epson’s first-generation glasses. A 5 mega pixel front-facing camera and on-board sensors enable the Moverio BT-300 to recognize objects in the real world. The Si-OLED projection system can then seamlessly render 3D content in the real world, with no display background or edges in the field of view. Currently available for purchase, the Moverio BT-300 Developer Edition holds a suggested retail price of $779.
“Now in our sixth year in the Augmented Reality eyewear space, Epson’s Moverio platform has driven interest and sales increases exponentially year after year. Our newest Moverio BT-300 will certainly drive our business to new highs,” said New Ventures for Epson America, product manager, Eric Mizufuka. “We’re especially excited to be partnered with DJI to make flying a safer and more productive experience. We firmly believe that UAV is our killer application.”
Sharing the same hardware platform as the Developer Edition, the Moverio BT-300 Drone Edition comes pre-loaded with the DJI GO app for use with most DJI hardware. The Drone Edition glasses feature clip-on dark shades for use in bright sunlight as well as special fasteners that secure the Moverio controller onto the DJI phone mount for easy operation. The Moverio BT-300 Drone Edition will ship with a suggested retail price of $799.
With the Moverio BT-300 Drone Edition, UAV pilots are able to experience clear, transparent first person views (FPV) from the drone camera while simultaneously maintaining their line of sight with their aircraft. The FAA has maintained the rule that UAVs must remain within the visual line-of-sight (VLOS) of the remote pilot, reinforcing the relevance of the Moverio Drone Edition. More than 600,000 UAVs are expected to be in use in 2017.