Meta Unveils Updated VR Headset, AI and Smart Glasses
Meta unveiled updates to the company's virtual reality headset, Ray Ban smart glasses and AI system on September 25.
Speaking to developers and journalists at Meta's Menlo Park headquarters in California, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Meta is working to "bring the future to everyone" with its headsets, glasses and AI system.
Thanks to one Meta AI system update, people will now be able to speak with the AI, which will reply with voices from celebrities such as John Cena and Judi Dench. Another update aimed at influencers allows them to create AI versions of themselves for interacting with fans.
Other AI updates include live translation, which Zuckerberg demonstrated on stage. While wearing the smart glasses, Zuckerberg spoke in English to Mexican mixed martial artist Brandon Moreno, who replied in Spanish. The conversation was translated in real time.
People can also dub their videos so that it looks like they are speaking in another language — even changing their lip movements to match.
Meta, which introduced the Quest 3 VR headset last year, also showed off new, cheaper VR goggles. While the regular Quest 3 costs $499, the 3S, which will be available from October 15, will cost $299.
Meta's augmented reality Ray Bans have also been an unexpected hit for the company.
The glasses, said Zuckerberg, let an AI assistant "see what you see, hear what you hear" and help you go about your day.
For instance, you can ask the glasses to remind you to pick up groceries, look at a pile of fruit and create a smoothie recipe, or help you choose a party outfit.
Zuckerberg also showed off Orion, a prototype he called "the most advanced glasses the world has ever seen." The holographic augmented reality glasses have no wires and weigh less than 100 grams.
Orion also has a "wrist-based neural interface" that lets you send a signal from your brain to the device, using a wristband that translates nerve signals into digital commands.
There is no release date for Orion, but Zuckerberg called it a "glimpse of the future."
