Experience stark, vivid images like nothing you've ever seen combined with premium audio in a unique flip down form factor.
Introducing the Avegant Glyph Since the beginning of personal display technology, screens have been getting smaller and closer to our eyes but with one limitation: image quality. At Avegant we've solved that problem using a new technology that mimics the way that we as humans naturally see light. Using a Virtual Retinal Display we've figured out how to project images directly onto your retina, creating sharp, stark images unlike anything you've seen before. Over the past two years we've worked to miniaturize the technology to fit into a portable headset good for mobile or home use. The product of our work is the
Glyph. Combining a unique flip-down form factor, super sharp imagery and premium noise-cancelling audio, we created a device that is a revolution in personal display technology.
The Glyph uses a simple HDMI input to display anything in your content library, from the movies that you already own to streamed Netflix over your iPhone to the desktop environment in your Mac or PC. The Glyph is also great for gaming, whether in playing Call of Duty Ghosts on your Playstation or Real Racing on your mobile phone. And with an integrated 9 Degree of Freedom head-tracker, a whole world of interactive gaming, Point of View (PoV) imaging and interactive storytelling is within our reach.
And this is just the beginning. The future of content possible with the Glyph is limitless. Imagine directors being able to produce 360° movies where you can not only watch actors interact in a cafe but look around the environment as the story unfolds around you. Imagine integrating an LTE chip into the Glyph and making calls straight from your headset. Imagine integrating a camera on the front of the visor and clicking a button to see not just the world in front of you but ultraviolet and infrared signatures in real time. Backers of this project are more than consumers and testers. You're investing in the future of display technology and participating in what can change the world of vision as we currently know it. We'll make you part of that community as we build it from the ground up, from interactive testing and feedback to online forums to member-only events and perks. At the end of this campaign, those who pledge $499 or more will receive a fully functional Beta Glyph Prototype, a device that integrates fluidly with any content of your choice, displays vivid 3D and symbolizes the first step in truly integrated and stylish mobile near-eye display technology. What is a Virtual Retinal Display?
What To Expect From The Deliverable Glyph Beta We've spent a long time perfecting the science and the design that goes into the Glyph, and we're proud to bring you a device that reflects our passion. The Glyph Beta that you receive in the mail later this year will have all of the trademarks of a fully developed and tested product, including re-engineered ergonomics and a slimmer, more efficient design than what you see above. Compared to the physical alpha prototype now in our hands, Avegant plans to deliver:
- A comfortable, balanced fit that applies minimal pressure to the user's nose and ears while still looking great
- Slimmer ear cans reduced approximately 50% in thickness
- A thinner, more lightweight visor with a cover that minimally impacts your head and hair during audio mode use
- One slim cable that connects to either an HDMI/MHL cable or an audio jack
The Development Process With a strong staff of dedicated engineers, Avegant has been aggressively iterating on the Glyph design over the last two years. It started with a proof of concept on a benchtop:
We were then able to miniaturize the technology into an engineering proof of concept.
Next, we started to build in features, including the flip-down form factor and integrated audio. We took this technology to CES in Las Vegas.
The Glyph for Developers
All new hardware projects require developers to push the envelope of the technology in order to create the best experiences possible. At Avegant, we're excited to support developers and work with the community as the platform grows. Getting started as a developer is simple; the only hardware you need is a Glyph! We've intentionally created the Glyph Beta with a form factor that works fluidly with any HDMI input, making the device simple to use with any source. While we are currently compatible with a range of apps and platforms, we hope developers will create custom software that takes full advantage of the Glyph. This includes wide integration with our head-tracking in conjunction with a full spectrum of devices. We see major opportunities in this realm with huge potential growth, for example with mobile support so that head-tracking can be embedded into more 360 video apps and Point of View (POV) games. We can't wait for some of you to make a golf game that uses the sensors within a phone along with head-tracking to create a 360 degree simulation of the PGA Master's or a light saber fighting game where the 3D buzzing sound moves from ear to ear as we hack and slash our way through the future. During the campaign, we'll be building out a developer's forum and engaging a feedback mechanism for our early adopters to interface directly with our engineering team. We are also looking to any developers that join us on Kickstarter to help us target the software environments that they are passionate about so we can work on integration for those first. How We'll Use Your Support
Prototyping and testing a piece of consumer electronics is a time and cost intensive process. Our initial research and prototyping brought us to the alpha stage of development. We proved that the science worked, which is the biggest risk in a project like this. Now we need to ramp up production and make sure that the fit is good for a wide range of consumers. Your money will help us expand out our prototype base to perform a full design of experiment on fit and function. We also need to set up and organize our manufacturing. Currently, we're proud to be designing and manufacturing the Glyph in the United States, but to plan for the future we need to identify and engage with manufacturers around the planet to ramp up large-scale manufacturing. Along the way, we'll also allocate engineering cycles to rebuilding the electronics in order to slim down the weight and lower the profile of the device.
