How to create AR glasses by yourself

How to create AR glasses by yourself

AR glasses from Microsoft, Magic Leap and Nreal you can't afford? No problem! Now there is an inexpensive alternative. Which technology is embedded in a homemade AR glasses?

 

Arno Atchison describes himself as a man who likes to build know-how-things and share them with others. "Digital designer" sets, for example, voice assistant, Alexa, who is usually at home in the Amazon, such as Echo 4, to everyday items such as lamps for the bathroom.

 

His latest creation — glasses with augmented reality, which can create an Amateur with minimal costs. He wants to show that the production points AR open source is possible and can contribute to the spread of this technology. It provides instructions, including a parts list.

 

 

AR glasses in the spirit of Tilt Five

 

Atchison called Five points Tilt for AR-gamers the inspiration for his creation. It is part of a collection of Board games, where traditional gameplay with augmented reality. Glasses built-in projectors to display animated three-dimensional image on a specially designed playing field.

 

 

This creates a dynamic game world with animated characters and environment, as shown in the video above. Because the glasses are augmented reality for Board games remote and, in his opinion, on the road, the inventor decided to create them myself. Accion calls his cheaper alternative to the "cheApR".

 

Which technology is embedded in a homemade AR glasses?

 

As in the case of Tilt Five points for AR requires an external player. Atchison using a Mac with the modified software open source. It processes the data about the movement of the internal MPU6050 module and together with the microcontroller ESP32 controls the display of images on LCD displays.

 

It's all the electronics that is included in the AR goggles with open source. | Image: Arno Atchison

 

Thus, the glasses change the perspective of an object when the carriers move. In addition, cheApR recognizes faces and markers of AR in this region. All components of the eyeglass frames are created using a 3D printer. All the electronics are located in small housing directly above the lens.

 

Image with two LCD displays are projected on to the lenses inclined mirror. | Image: Arno Atchison

 

Here are two LCD display, images which are reflected to the lens by two mirrors with a thickness of one millimeter. Speaking of lenses: Atchison relies on conventional sunglass lenses. Sunglasses slightly curved shape showed the best results in his tests.

 

That is capable of a homemade AR glasses?

 

A complete parts list, including link to shop and Assembly instructions can be found on the website Instructables. Additional files and software are available for download on Github .

 

If you are thinking about creating your own device and you are satisfied with inexpensive individual items, do not forget that you will require a 3D printer. Of course, you can also rent a 3D printer instead of buying your own device.

 

In the following video Atcion shows what can be rather cumbersome CheApR.

 

 

After watching the video, it should be clear that cheApR will not compete with high-performance devices like Hololens 2 and Nreal Light. Simple functions, such as filters AR or overlay text is possible. In addition, it will be interesting to see what the interested part of the AR community can still gain from working Acciona.

 

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