How smart glasses could help fight climate change



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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Monday that by 2030, people could use advanced smart glasses to “teleport” to places like other people’s homes, and talk to them as if they were physically present, which would replace face-to-face meetings with a digital headset-based experience.

One of the outcomes of this vision for the future could be a reduction in business or pleasure travel, which could help mitigate the effects of climate change, Zuckerberg said in an interview with The Information.

Obviously there will be cars and planes and all that. But the more we can teleport, not only do we personally eliminate travel and things that are a bit of a drag for us individually, but I think it’s better for society and the planet in general, too, ”said Zuckerberg.

Most of the big tech companies, including Apple, Microsoft, and Google, are working on augmented reality technology, which overlays computer-generated graphics on real-world images. They are all competing to shape the next major computer interface after the smartphone and the touchscreen.

Zuckerberg’s remarks are notable because they represent a cohesive view from an industry leader of what augmented reality technology can do for consumers, not just other businesses, and he identifies software that could be the hook to get people to buy and later wear advanced computers on their face: virtual in-person communication.

The ultimate vision years later, as Zuckerberg said on Monday, is a pair of normal-looking, computer-powered glasses that can display content alongside the real world through see-through screens.

“It’s going to be all these awesome use cases that come out of it … rather than calling someone or having a video chat, you just snap your fingers and teleport, and sit there and they’re on their couch and it feels like you’re there together, ”Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg says that one benefit of AR-powered “teleportation” is that it could reduce travel or commute time. Ultimately, AR could allow workers to live wherever they want, perhaps a cheaper region, and “essentially teleport to work,” Zuckerberg said.

“We talked a bit about climate change before it got so big,” Zuckerberg said. “People may want to travel a little less in the future and do it more efficiently, and be able to get around without having to take the time to travel or commute.

Zuckerberg’s interview comes as the social media company plans to release a pair of smart glasses in partnership with Ray-Ban later this year, although he has said they won’t be “full AR,” which means that they do not display advanced virtual objects. Facebook plans to release more advanced AR glasses as technology improves.

Facebook is also developing virtual reality headsets without transparent screens through Oculus, which it bought in 2014 for $ 2 billion. He currently sells the Oculus 2, a virtual reality headset for $ 300. Zuckerberg said he believes software makers will start making software in virtual reality before moving to augmented reality, and calls the two technologies “two sides of the same coin.”

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