Meta’s AI Glasses Enhance Your Hearing for Clearer Conversations
▼ Summary
– Meta has updated its AI smart glasses with a new feature that amplifies a conversation partner’s voice in noisy environments using the glasses’ open-ear speakers.
– The update also introduces a Spotify integration that can play music matching what the user is viewing, such as an album cover or a holiday scene.
– The conversation-focus feature is initially available only in the U.S. and Canada, while the Spotify feature is offered in English across many more countries.
– Users can adjust the voice amplification level by swiping the glasses’ right temple or via device settings to suit different environments like restaurants or trains.
– The software update will first be released to members of Meta’s Early Access Program before a broader rollout.
Meta’s latest software update for its AI-powered smart glasses introduces a practical feature designed to improve real-world conversations. The new capability allows wearers in the U.S. and Canada to amplify the voice of the person they’re speaking with, cutting through background noise in challenging environments like restaurants or public transit. This “conversation-focus” function leverages the glasses’ built-in open-ear speakers, and users can fine-tune the amplification level directly by swiping the right temple or through the device settings for a customized listening experience.
Alongside this hearing enhancement, Meta is rolling out a more playful integration with Spotify. This feature enables the glasses to play music that corresponds with what the user is looking at through the camera. Glancing at an album cover could trigger a song by that artist, while viewing a festive holiday scene might queue up seasonal tunes. This visual-music link showcases one direction for wearable AI, connecting a user’s immediate surroundings with actionable app commands.
The effectiveness of the noise-filtering conversation feature will become clearer with real-world testing, but the concept of using smart devices to assist hearing is gaining traction. Apple’s AirPods, for instance, already include a Conversation Boost mode, and their Pro models offer a clinical-grade Hearing Aid function, indicating a broader industry move toward accessible audio augmentation.
Availability for these updates varies by region. While the conversation-boosting tool is exclusive to the U.S. and Canada initially, the Spotify visual-play feature is launching in English across a wider set of markets. These include Australia, the U.K., India, and numerous countries across Europe and the Americas.
The update, labeled version 21, is first being released to participants in Meta’s Early Access Program. Interested users must join a waitlist and gain approval to try the features early before the software rolls out to all compatible glasses, including the Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta HSTN models, in the coming weeks.
(Source: TechCrunch)
