DISCOVERY: Xiaomi’s Wireless AR Glasses can be paired with compatible devices using NFC
Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi has filed a patent with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) for technology that would enable users of its wearable augmented reality (AR) glasses to initiate and authenticate contactless QR code payments.
The system works by capturing an image of the immediate surroundings when a user wants to make a payment, recognising and extracting the relevant merchant or other payee’s QR code from that image, and initiating an identity verification process in order to authorise the payment.
Adding support for QR code payments would enable users to pay directly through the AR glasses without needing a separate device such as a smartphone or credit card, resulting in a faster streamlined payments process “especially in busy or crowded areas”, according to a Gizmochina report.
“The technology can make payments easier for people with physical disabilities who might struggle with traditional methods” and “could lead to more immersive shopping experiences, virtual tours and entertainment options”, the report adds.
Discovery launch
The patent filing follows the unveiling of the Discovery Edition of Xiaomi’s Wireless AR Glass wearable device at Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona last month.
The Discovery device enables “seamless integration of the digital and real-world”, uses distributed computing to offer “a retina-level adaptive display”, supports “micro gesture interaction” and can be paired with compatible devices using NFC.
“Micro gestures on Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass enable users to perform daily app usage operations such as selecting and opening apps, swiping through pages, and exiting apps to return to the start page, all without using a smartphone for controls,” Xiaomi explains.
“Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass incorporates a low power-usage AON camera that enables prolonged gesture interaction and facilitates features. Furthermore, users can also opt for conventional smartphone controls, which can be paired and used as a gesture or touchpad control.
“The device supports a variety of large-screen applications available throughout the ecosystem, enabled by Mi Share’s application streaming capability.
“Additionally, the AR capability allows users to place familiar apps anywhere in the viewing space and adjust their interface size via spatial gestures, thus enhancing the efficiency and overall experience of information access.
“For instance, Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass allows users to ‘grab’ the screen from a typical television screencast, and then continue watching it on the glasses.
“Furthermore, Xiaomi has extracted common operations of smart devices, enabling users to operate devices through AR scenes. For instance, when looking at a lamp, users can use spatial gestures to click a virtual button to turn that lamp on or off. Xiaomi has also integrated a spatial audio experience, allowing virtual speakers to be linked with the real environment.”
A short video shows how the Wireless AR Glass Discovery edition works.
Xiaomi began enabling customers to use NFC tags to control their smart home devices in October 2020.
Xiaomi files patent for technology supporting contactless QR payments on AR glasses was written by Tom Phillips and published by NFCW.