monocle is the world's smallest AR device that clips onto your glasses

monocle clip-on is an open-source AR GADGET

Designed to clip onto common reading glasses, Monocle is a pocket-sized AR wearable for ‘modification and hacking’. This device, developed by the tech team at Brilliant Labs, features a crystal-clear circular silhouette, with all components visible. Inside its tiny body of 43mm wide and 9mm thick are packed a display, camera, microphone, PCB, and battery, while no wires or connectors are needed. Following this transparent approach, the design and software components are made publicly available under the MIT open-source license.

all images by Brilliant Labs

looking inside the Monocle Device

Weighing just 15g, Monocle comes in a tiny unibody shell that you can simply hold up to your eye or attach to your eyewear. You can easily connect it to your mobile phone via Bluetooth, and thanks to a few handy sensors, its design becomes more compact. According to the tech team, the gear is powered by a 70 mAh battery providing approximately a two-hour runtime for normal anticipated use. Similar to wireless headphones, you can recharge it in its charging case, which consists of a 450 mAh battery, which can refresh the Monocle’s battery up to 6 times. Fast charging is enabled, so you can keep using it on the go.

Glancing at its hardware, Monocle includes a 640 x 400-pixel color OLED display. There is also an FPGA that can be configured for computer vision, AI, or graphics. Other highlights are the integrated touch sensors, a 5MP camera that can record 720p video, 12MB memory, and 8MB of flash storage. Monocle runs open-source software and, thanks to the MicroPython port, offers an easy way to get started.

monocle comes with a crystal-clear unibody shell

Monocle is currently available for purchase for 349$. It comes with its charging case and accompanying USB-C cable, while a wall charger is not included. All Monocle purchases come with access to the Brilliant App to transfer your photos through encrypted Bluetooth. The Brilliant App download information will be sent with the device or can be downloaded through the App Store or Play Store.

it looks like a traditional monocle but a bit thicker