Epson's Android-powered display glasses: do want...don't know why
Proving that head-mounted displays aren't just PC peripherals, Japanese electronics company Epson on Wednesday launched the Moverio BT-100, the first self-contained, Android-powered head-mounted display.
The $699.99 unit include stereoscopic .52-inch (960×540) TFT LCD displays that create a perceived 80-inch display, which is powered by Android 2.2 touch navigation. Since you can't touch the actual screen without jabbing yourself in the eyeball, all touch interface activity is done through a handheld touch pad.
The device is equipped with its own apps for browsing the web, playing games, and of course, consuming media. It has its own Wi-fi radio, so it is considerably more versatile and mobile than the displays that must be hooked to a PC or television receiver. The BT-100 is battery powered and can run for six hours per charge, and it includes 1GB of internal storage and a microSD slot supporting cards up to 32GB in size.
It's goofy, yes, but there is something undeniably cool about the possibilities the device affords Android developers. Epson will be showing off the BT-100 at AnDevCon III in San Francisco between May 14 and 17, and it clearly wants developers to consider making unique new applications for the platform.
If you've got ideas like Thomas Sohmers, who integrated the BT-100 with the Parrot ARDrone, check out Epson's Moverio developer portal.