The augmented reality eyewear isn't really a Google Glass piece, but it comes close

Mar 18, 2013 12:36 GMT  ·  By

The Google Glass project is one of the hottest ideas being advertised in the media this year, and it received quite a bit of attention last year as well, and the year before. This is why there are those who are trying to copy the concept.

We've seen several attempts at making augmented reality glasses capable of matching the Google Glass.

They either didn't reach the market or failed to get past the initial prototype stage. Others, like the Glass itself really, are still under development.

What we are looking at at present is a small something humorously dubbed the Beady-i. It is a DIY “Google Glass” (do it yourself) developed by user John from Instructables.

It is made from a pair of glasses with projection screen built into it, plus a gaming headset.

John doesn't go into details about the functionality. Google Glass is supposed to be able to take voice commands, display information about what is being beheld, bring up video chats, voice calls, play video, browse the web for specific information, etc.

We doubt this new project can do all that. On the other hand, the designer says Apple's iOS is used to run it, so it must be capable of at least some things.

As with all DIY projects, John has posted the full step-by-step instructions. That is, after all, why the website is called “Instructables.” It instructs.

The short list of components is the following: Myvu Crystal video glasses “or something similar ideally with an iPodTouch / iPad type connection option,” a basic gaming headset, Dremel with a cutting disk (or something similar), epoxy glue (or a glue gun) and a very small nut and bolt (though the design can live without it).

“It comes with an i-Phone / i-Pad / i-PodTouch connector so I can download movies or TV programmes from for example BBC iPlayer, onto an i-PodTouch in my pocket and watch them on the move. If they come out with any decent augmented reality apps in the future, I can use them. Otherwise I will stick to watching films and TV,” the man wrote.