Amazon is creating sensible glasses for supply drivers, Reuters experiences. The goal is to offer drivers turn-by-turn instructions, thereby shaving seconds off of every supply.
Citing nameless Amazon sources, Reuters says the challenge is a part of Amazon’s efforts to extend effectivity within the final 100 yards of a supply. Codenamed “Amelia”, the sensible glasses are based mostly off the present Echo Frames platform. Not like the present audio-only Frames they’d have an embedded show that would give a driver extra exact instructions — for instance, turning left or proper after getting off an elevator. Amazon can also be exploring digicam capabilities utilizing that embedded show, enabling drivers to take photographs of packages as proof of supply. Theoretically, doing all this might enable drivers to hold extra packages as a result of the glasses are hands-free, whereas all these saved seconds would enable drivers to squeeze in additional house deliveries in a single shift.
That stated, it is perhaps lengthy whereas earlier than Amazon drivers sport sensible glasses — in the event that they ever do. Including shows to peculiar glasses or audio-based sensible glasses like the present Echo Frames can also be a troublesome engineering problem — one which many firms have failed at. Amazon is reportedly having points making glasses with a battery that may final a full eight-hour shift whereas additionally being mild sufficient to put on all day. One other downside is many individuals have already got corrective lenses, and to this point, shopper sensible glasses haven’t all the time been able to accommodating each prescription. It’ll additionally should persuade its total fleet of drivers — lots of that are third-party contractors — to undertake the know-how. It might take years for Amazon to collect sufficient information on that final 100 yards (i.e., constructing layouts, sidewalks, streets, driveways, and many others.) to make its imaginative and prescient a actuality.
It’s not wholly stunning to see Amazon discover enterprise choices for its sensible glasses tech. Reuters’ sources additionally said that the last-gen Echo Frames offered fewer than 10,000 models — disappointing when in comparison with how profitable the Ray-Ban Meta glasses have been. (Each had been launched across the similar time final yr.) Pivoting to enterprise has additionally lengthy been the playbook for underperforming sensible glasses and AR headsets, together with Google Glass, Magic Leap, and Microsoft HoloLens. Additionally unclear is whether or not Amazon will maintain this purely for its personal supply community or pursue third-party enterprise contracts. That stated, it’s doable that a few of this tech may also make its approach to shoppers. The report notes that Amazon is engaged on an embedded display screen for future Echo Frames glasses that would present up someday in Q2 2026.
