Meta recently unveiled the prototype of the first Orion holographic AR smart glasses. After trying them on, the CNBC reporter said that the most impressive aspect of Meta's Orion augmented reality glasses was the lightness and comfort of the product rather than the gorgeous computer graphics.

Orion glasses are black and have thick frames, and are equipped with a wireless “disc” device that allows the device to run applications such as holographic digital chess or table tennis to insert these digital graphics into the real world.

The experimental glasses are part of Meta CEO Zuckerberg's multi-billion dollar plan to build the next generation of personal computing devices for the so-called metaverse. Although Orion doesn't allow users to fully immerse themselves in the virtual world, it can superimpose digital images onto the real world. Unlike bulky virtual reality headsets, CNBC reporters said they felt Orion glasses were comfortable to wear.

“When I wear these glasses, I don't feel much different from wearing a pair of heavy regular glasses, and I don't feel uncomfortable when wearing them.”

While current Orion augmented reality glasses may look like movie props, the reporter believes they will become smaller as technology advances.

While wearing these augmented reality glasses, the reporter was able to see holographic icons from apps such as Instagram and Facebook, as well as additional features such as browsers and video games in her small office at Meta headquarters. These digital icons blend in with the real environment around her.

For example, journalists can see these digital icons superimposed on the real world with their own eyes, which is an improvement over the “perspective” technology currently used in virtual reality devices. Perspective technology shows a digital representation of the real world through a camera outside the headset, mixes it with computer graphics, and presents it to the user through the device screen.

In contrast, Orion uses a more expensive method to superimpose digital images in the real world. Orion lenses aren't traditional glass or plastic, but are made of silicon carbide. When the tiny projector built into the Orion arm projects a beam of light onto the silicon carbide lens, users can see a “hologram” in the field of view. The reporter said the experience “felt very natural.”

When the hologram was turned off, the reporter said:

“It feels like wearing regular glasses or sunglasses without any distractions or discomfort.”

Users can open, close, and scroll through these apps with a wristband. The reporter said that this wristband is similar to the old lightweight Fitbit, and finger movements and gestures control these digital icons very accurately. “The wristband can sense your fingers and hand movements, so you can place your hands next to your body.”

In one demonstration, Orion glasses are able to recognize various ingredients scattered on the table, such as chia seeds, and project a suitable recipe, holographic on top of the actual ingredients.

One demonstration that impressed the reporter was that when her friend made a video call from another room, her friend's face appeared in front of her in the form of a hologram. The entire 3D video call experience was “very clear”, and the reporter noticed that the resolution of the graphics changed depending on where she placed it in her field of view. This shocked her and even wondered if the producer could actually see her (in fact, he couldn't).

“I can see him clearly, but he can't see me. But I could hear him talking and it felt like I was FaceTime talking to him, but he was actually in my glasses.”