Meta Aria Gen 2 AR Glasses Can Measure Heart Rate, Features Contact Microphone, and More

The development of Project Aria from five years ago now has a successor, with Meta introducing the latest augmented reality (AR) glasses known as the Aria Gen 2. The new research hardware wearable from Meta comes with cutting-edge features, and it also features open-source datasets, models, and more.

The main technological development with the Aria Gen 2 is Meta's integration of its artificial intelligence.

Meta's Aria Gen 2 AR Glasses bring Heart Rate Monitor, Contact Microphone

Almost five years after Meta released the first wearable from Project Aria, the company has now confirmed that the next generation of its AR glasses is here, and it is coming soon with the main purpose of using it for research.

Aria Gen 2 offers a list of significant upgrades made available to the new wearable.

This device is a 75-gram wearable that offers a PPG sensor that is capable of measuring the heart rate of its beholder, and it also has a contact microphone that can detect and differentiate voices from its owner and the people around it.

Meta has given the new Aria Gen 2 a custom Silicon chip that the multinational technology company designed, and they also shared a massive upgrade to its sensor suite that expands more on its features.

Meta's AI to Power Massive Features for Aria Gen 2

However, one of the biggest game changers of this version of the Aria AR glasses is that the Aria Gen 2 features Meta's AI, and the company has tasked its machine learning tech to enable massive experiences for users.

For starters, Aria Gen 2's AI can perform tasks like hand tracking, eye tracking, speech recognition. The device has open-ear "force-canceling" speakers and up to eight hours of battery life, according to TechCrunch.

The Quest for AR Glasses: Meta's Developments

Meta has made its mark in the wearable world by first acquiring Oculus and then going forth to create other developments. Meta first released Project Aria in 2020, which was also meant for research, and the company looked to continue developing what it has to offer, bolstering their work by acquiring Luxexcel for AR glasses.

Last year, the company announced its first foray into what is considered to be the "true" AR glasses as it announced Project Orion following the rumors about the company's AR plans. This is the most ambitious project by Meta towards AR glasses development, one that will feature real augmented reality.

While it is not yet AR glasses, Meta has already explored this space before with the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, which feature the capability to access artificial intelligence, take media content via its cameras, and connect via the app.