Optinvent ORA smart glasses are setting standards the world of augmented reality. Although they are less well-known than some other brands, such as Google Glass, Optinvent ORA are a serious competitor and offer one the most advanced AR experiences available.

Using patented technology called Clear-Vu, they offer a more vibrant and colourful display, wider viewing angles, greater durability and greater energy efficiency than most of their competitors.

Optinvent ORA are also more cost-effective, as their key components are based on molded plastic. High cost has been a negative factor in the commercial rise of see-through digital AR eyewear. Although cost-effective compared to some smart glasses brands, you will still need a pretty healthy budget to be able to indulge in the Optinvent ORA augmented reality experience.

Wearable technology is here to stay! Optimists predict that smart glasses may one day replace handheld devices like smartphones as our number 1 mobile computing companion, though this is extremely optimistic.

One advantage that AR glasses have over smartphones is the increased perceived screen size, the Optinvent ORA display is the equivalent of an 84 inch screen at 5 meters. Some smartglasses also offer full 3D, holographic displays which will evolve over time, whereas smartphone screens may have already evolved to their peak.

The outer lenses on the front of the ORA smart glasses are made of photochromic glass which reacts with necessity and automatically darkens in very bright conditions.

Optinvent ORA use Android as their operating system and can run as a standalone device. All sorts of apps are available to download from the Optinvent app store AppstORA.

The UI is a touch sensor trackpad on the side of the glasses which also supports voice and gesture recognition. There is a feature called Flip-Vu, which allows for 2 different viewing angles for the display, Augmented Reality Position and Glance Position.

ORA also have mounting points for the use of prescription lenses. They come in white, black, red and blue and weigh just 80 grams including the battery. The Battery Life is around 4 hours full use – 8 hours typical use.

The ORA specs include Bluetooth, Wi Fi and GPS connectivity, 5mp autofocus camera, proximity and other sensors, 1.2Ghz ARM Cortex Dual Core Microprocessor, 1GB RAM, 4GB Flash storage, 1080p video recording, microphone with acoustic echo and noise cancellation, audio jack, USB data/charging port and a monocular display with a 24° field of view.

Optinvent ORA can deliver all of the features that you would expect from high-end augmented reality smart glasses. You can expect real-time metrics about your daily activities, listen to music, shoot video hands free, chat on social networks, get maps and info about the best locations when you’re travelling and much more.

Optinvent ORA are available to buy now for $949 USD (£610)

Despite what the doubters think, the more I write about augmented reality, the more I realise that it is the future!