Google Glass comes in different colors, can be used as sunglasses and is also available as a prescription lens, but according to one company, technology like it forces users to sacrifice personality and style.
“For far too long wearable technology has been either very clunky or too futuristic. This paradigm does not bode well for the user when such a device is centered on their face,” according to LAFORGE Optical’s Indiegogo campaign.
(Related: Google Glass will be widely available by 2014)
Icis, created by LAFORGE Optical, are fashion-friendly smartglasses. The line of eyewear displays notifications such as text, tweets and turn-by-turn directions from your phone to your glasses.
“We wanted to design something that would keep people connected to their social networks, and not be intrusive,” said LAFORGE Optical CEO Corey Mack. “We want to blur the line between people’s virtual lives and their real lives. We want to create an environment where people can interact with their phone, without necessarily having to go through the hassle of pulling it out of their pocket.”
The eyewear, which is currently still under development, will be available in different styles. LAFORGE has currently come up with three styles: flat top, classic and semi-rimless. It will be available in prescription and non-prescription lenses.
Features include Bluetooth capability, wireless charging, high-resolution display, camera, accelerometer, microphone and touchpad.
The Indiegogo campaign is currently trying to raise US$80,000 by March 20.
“After two years doing circuit layouts, design drawings, and traveling across the country to meet with prospective partners, we have reached the limits of what we can do with our resources,” declared the campaign.
Contributors who donate $320 or more will receive the Icis Beta Kit, which includes a pair of Icis glasses, a cover case, a charger, smart stickers and a lens cleaner kit, but it does not include a camera.
The Icis earlyBeta Kit delivery is expected by August 2014 to contributors of $820 or more; the glasses are expected to be generally available around January 2015.
At the time of this article, the Indiegogo campaign has reached $16,481.
Icis supports Android, iOS and Windows Phone.