While the tech world discusses the pros and cons of Google Glass, a company named Tzukuri has come up with a far less intrusive pair of Bluetooth sunglasses. While they’re not going to snap a picture or let you know about incoming messages, they will let you know if you leave them behind somewhere. We’ve all done it at sometime, so we can see this being popular.
The way it works is very cool. Tzukuri has embedded a tiny iBeacon sensor inside the sunglasses, which connects to your iPhone using Bluetooth Low Energy. If you’ve not heard about iBeacons before, it’s the same technology which Apple uses to automatically send visitors to its stores instant mobile notifications about new offers. Think of it like a Bluetooth bubble which communicates with your iPhone when it’s in range.
Here, it is powered by a solar panel built into the sunglasses, so there is never any need to plug them in for a recharge. Because the sensor is so small, and there’s no need for a battery, the design of the glasses is unaffected by its presence. What happens when you leave your sunglasses behind? You’ll get an alert on your phone when the specs reach three different distances, and if you ignore each one, the custom app will track their location for you. Interestingly, the alert works the other way around too, and if it’s the iPhone which gets left behind, it’ll sound a loud alert.
That’s the technology, how about the design? Tzukuri will produce six different frame designs, which are handcrafted in Japan, and equipped with polarized, anti-scratch lenses offering 100 percent UV protection. The designs are best described as classic, and probably won’t appeal to fans of sporty sunglasses. They’re named after the people who inspired them, such as John F. Kennedy, Tom Ford, Grace Kelly, and even Atticus Finch, the lawyer played by Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Tzukuri will sell the sunglasses for $350, and they’ll ship towards the end of the year. If you’re very keen, you’ll be able to secure a pair with a $50 deposit, and only pay an extra $200 once they’re ready for delivery. The pre-order date hasn’t been confirmed yet though. In theory, it’ll be the last time you’ll have to pay for sunglasses, unless you lose them somewhere really inconvenient, like the sea, or down the side of a mountain.
