Smart Cap Is A Fully Functional AR/VR Headset

Smart Cap Is A Fully Functional AR/VR Headset
Arvind Sanjeevโ€™s DIY Smart Cap features a head-mounted display strapped to a stylish hat. I would like to just carry my Raspberry Pi on my hat... no connectivity.
Arvind Sanjeevโ€™s DIY Smart Cap features a head-mounted display strapped to a stylish hat. I would like to just carry my Raspberry Pi on my hat… no connectivity.

New technology always seems to cost a fortune to buy. Just look at anything released from Apple, and you get the picture. Google is apparently on the same bandwagon with their โ€˜unofficially released but on the market anywayโ€™ AR head set Google Glass. $1,500 for limited functionality eyewear is preposterous, illogical and ridiculous, unless you actually have that kind of money to spend. To that end, Arvind Sanjeev decided to design a more consumer-friendly AR/VR headset that will set you back less than $80 and even includes a fashionable cap.

Arvind designed his โ€˜Smart Capโ€™ using the Raspberry Pi (model B), which does all of the heavy lifting (processing) and data crunching from the forward-mounted IBall USB camera and generic headphones (complete with mic). The camera pumps the video to a 2.5-inch LCD display positioned next to the wearerโ€™s left eye. A loupe magnifier magnifies the image to 5X its size, allowing the user to โ€˜take in the whole pictureโ€™. The system uses voice-activated commands for hands-free interaction while running applications such as maps, checking email and taking secretive video of your surroundings (provided you didnโ€™t draw attention to yourself wearing the Smart Cap). Off-the-shelf parts were used to construct the headgear, which is significantly cheaper than Google Glass, yet no less conspicuous at making you stand out in a crowd.

The Smart Cap head-mounted display enclosure just screams โ€˜DIYโ€™
The Smart Cap head-mounted display enclosure just screams โ€˜DIYโ€™
Smart Cap USB camera teardown. Because thereโ€™s no room for โ€˜bulkโ€™ on this headgear
Smart Cap USB camera teardown. Because thereโ€™s no room for โ€˜bulkโ€™ on this headgear

See Arvindโ€™s Smart Cap at Hack-a-dayโ€™s project database.

 

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