Remember when word got out that Amazon was building smart glasses for its delivery drivers before possibly launching a version for consumers as well?
Amazon has just revealed those “Amelia†glasses to the world — with a built-in display and an always-on camera to assist drivers as they go.
They can help drivers find the right packages inside their delivery vans, give them turn by turn directions to the right address, and take a hands-free photo of a successful delivery instead of needing them to whip out a phone. (Ever had an Amazon driver tell you “please don’t take your package yet, I have to take a pic first?â€)
“If there are hazards, or a need to navigate complex environments like apartment buildings, the glasses will guide [drivers] safely to their destination,†Amazon claims, showing off mocked-up video clips of what drivers should see as they work.
As you can see in the photo below, the glasses aren’t standalone — they’re paired with a vest that contains a swappable battery, and a button the driver can press to take a photo of each successful delivery.
There seems to be a dial surrounding that button as well, and Amazon writes that the controller also has a dedicated emergency button to call for help. Amazon hasn’t said which sensors are inside the glasses, but images suggest they may have two cameras: one centered above the nose, and one above the temple.
Amazon also says the glasses have transition lenses — they’ll tint stronger in sunlight, and get clearer without — and support prescription lenses as well.
While the company isn’t saying exactly when or where the glasses might roll out, the company says hundreds of drivers have already tested early versions of the tech, and that it wants to put more AI features inside.
“We anticipate future versions of the glasses will provide real-time defect detection, where the glasses can help notify drivers if they’ve mistakenly dropped a package at a customer doorstep that does not correspond with the house or apartment number on the package, detect hazards like low light and adjust the lenses, notify that there’s a pet in the yard, and more,†writes Amazon.
The frames don’t seem particularly thick in these photos Amazon has released, but — like the Meta Display and other glasses with built-in screens — they don’t seem quite at the level of consumer eyewear just yet.
The Information reported in September that Amazon’s glasses-with-a-screen for consumers, codename “Jayhawkâ€, might launch for consumers in 2026 or 2027. Reuters, which originally reported on the glasses for delivery drivers wrote that those were codename “Amelia,†and indeed some of Amazon’s images today have the word “Amelia†in their filename.
Unsurprisingly, Amazon’s blog post doesn’t discuss any possible ethical concerns that workers or customers might have as these glasses monitor the “last mile†of the delivery process.
Original Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/804962/amazon-reveals-smart-delivery-glasses-that-guide-drivers-and-scan-packages
Original Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/804962/amazon-reveals-smart-delivery-glasses-that-guide-drivers-and-scan-packages
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