Meta has unveiled Aria Gen 2, a new research-oriented wearable device and the successor to its 2020 Project Aria. The company has disclosed further details about the innovative technology behind its second-generation AI and machine learning-powered smart glasses, highlighting significant enhancements over the original model. Notably, the new version integrates advanced sensors, refined hand and eye tracking capabilities, as well as a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor similar to that found in the Apple Watch.
Meta reports that the Aria Gen 2 maintains a lightweight frame, weighing between 74 and 76 grams. The design emphasizes improved comfort and usability, featuring folding arms for easier transport and storage. Available in eight different sizes, the smart glasses cater to various head shapes and nose bridge dimensions.
The glasses boast a global shutter camera sensor that captures a high dynamic range of 120dB, a significant improvement from the 70dB range of the first generation. This advancement enhances the device’s computer vision abilities in diverse lighting conditions. In addition, the newer model incorporates four computer vision (CV) cameras with a broader field of view, enhancing its 3D hand and eye tracking functions. The stereo overlap has been increased from 35 degrees in the first generation to 80 degrees, a feature that supports better spatial awareness and depth perception for users.
Sensors on the Meta Aria Gen 2 Glasses
Photo Credit: Meta
The remarkable features of the Aria Gen 2 include its sophisticated hand and eye tracking systems. Utilizing a camera-based eye tracking method, the glasses monitor the user’s gaze and can provide metrics such as gaze per eye, vergence point, blink detection, and pupil diameter. According to Meta, these capabilities can enhance human-computer interaction and better gauge where a user’s visual focus lies. The device also tracks hand movements in three-dimensional space, enabling the generation of precise hand-joint poses for improved data labeling in contexts such as robotics.
The Aria Gen 2 Glasses are equipped with the following hardware components:
- 12-megapixel RGB camera
- Four Computer Vision cameras
- Ambient light sensor
- Seven spatial microphones
- Accelerometer
- GNSS
- Barometer
- Stereo speakers
- Privacy switch and volume control
- USB Type-C port
Additionally, the Aria Gen 2 utilizes Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) for detecting the glasses’ position in six degrees of freedom (6DOF) within a spatial environment. This feature is instrumental in developing contextual AI and robotics applications through environmental navigation and mapping. The operation of these features relies on advanced on-device machine perception algorithms running on Meta’s proprietary coprocessor.
The smart glasses feature an enhanced suite of sensors, including a calibrated ambient light sensor with improved control algorithms that function effectively even at lower frame rates. There is also an ultraviolet mode capable of distinguishing between color temperatures in indoor lighting, alongside a contact microphone embedded in the nose pad, used for audio capture. Moreover, the nose pad integrates a PPG sensor designed for precise heart rate monitoring of the user.
Despite the upgrades, Meta positions the Aria Gen 2 Glasses strictly as a “testbed” for the future of smart glasses development and is not planning to make them available for purchase. The glasses are intended for use by researchers and Meta’s partners, which include companies like BMW and academic institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, IIIT Hyderabad, and the University of Bristol.
