Meta tests always-on 'super sensing' mode for next Ray-Bans
Meta is testing an always-on "super sensing" mode for its next-generation Ray-Ban smart glasses, which would allow the device to continuously process visual and audio data without requiring a manual activation command.
Background
- Meta (Facebook's parent company) is testing a new "super sensing" feature for its next-generation Ray-Ban smart glasses, which would allow the camera to be always on, analyzing surroundings in real time rather than relying on a wake word or button press.
- Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are a collaboration between Meta and EssilorLuxottica (Ray-Ban's parent); current models can take photos, record short videos, make calls, and stream music, but require explicit activation.
- An "always-on" mode raises obvious privacy concerns — bystanders would have no clear sign when they are being recorded or analyzed — and may face regulatory hurdles in Europe and elsewhere; Meta has previously faced backlash over privacy practices with its Portal smart display and data collection.
- The feature is reportedly still in early testing and may not ship in the final product; it is part of Meta's broader push into AI-powered wearable computing, competing with Apple's rumored smart glasses and Google's earlier Glass project.