Sony subtitle glasses: Adding closed captioning to any movie theater experience

By Natt Garun Published July 5, 2012

Sony subtitle glasses Adding closed captioning to any movie theater experience — Image used with permission by copyright holder

For the hearing impaired, going to the movies could mean planning your day around the schedule of when theaters screen your selected film with closed captioning. That, or skipping the entire movie-going experience and waiting until the movie comes out in DVD, Blu-Ray, or on cable television.

With the new Sony subtitle glasses, theaters may now be able to offer you the technology to screen subtitles right into your peripherals so you can see and hear the exact dialogues in each movie regardless of showtimes. The glasses wear just like any other theater accessory, such as 3D movie glasses, but a projector along the top of the frame will display closed captioning in sync with the film. This effect, according to Sony, will make the subtitles appear as if they are naturally on the screen. Users also have the ability to adjust the size of the letters to fit their reading comfort, and the glasses can be worn on top of your regular glasses if you do not wear contact lens.

Recommended Videos

Formerly a prototype, Sony aims to make this technology available for most major theaters so they can program the subtitles into the glasses beforehand. According to BBC, the United Kingdom may be one of the first markets to receive a trial of the subtitle glasses. No word yet on when the technology will arrive in American movie theaters, but we imagine it won’t be soon after.

The necessity to program the dialogues of each movie into the glasses before airing the film might mean similar technology may not yet be available in a home entertainment sector, but if the subtitle glasses gain popularity, you never know.

UPDATE: We received an update from Regal Entertainment Groups that by March 2013, the company aims to provide the Sony subtitle glasses in every digital projection shows across the United States. Regal has already begun distributing these in some showings, and the feedback from customers have been extremely positive. Now you know where you can find your subtitle glasses at the next showing of a movie!

Watch the video of a Sony subtitle glasses demonstration below.

Former Staff Writer

An avid gadgets and Internet culture enthusiast, Natt Garun spends her days bringing you the funniest, coolest, and strangest…

Topics

Entertainment

Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts

Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Cars

Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii 4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Entertainment

Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode

Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.