ActiveLook Heads Up Display for Apple Watch Ultra

A company called MicroOLED has a development platform that it calls ActiveLook and it has just released a Gen 2.0 update which integrates with watchOS 9, meaning it should be compatible with most Apple Watches from Series 4 through to Watch Ultra to let you beam live workout data into the inner surface of these glasses.

 

First Impressions

I had a brief look at this same tech a couple of weeks back when the company announced a similar link-up to Garmin devices via CIQ.

Similar products exist, like the Swim Goggles by FORM Swim, and heads-up cycling devices however the quality of the displayed data looks significantly better from ActiveLook.

Older products, like FORM Goggles, are bulky but OK. However, MicroOLED offers a module that weighs a mere 6grams with a battery life of up to 12 hours. That seems a usable weight for a real-world product.

Aesthetics? The glasses that it bundles the tech with seem cool enough and I’m sure the tech could be integrated by 3rd party sports goggles or glasses makers.

 

ENGO & Julbo

Sports eyewear  companiesENGO and Julbo already feature ActiveLook technology and are ready to go in the Apple ecosystem. The  ENGO 2 glasses offer this

• Lightweight from 36g (1.27oz)
• 12-hour battery
• Water-resistant
• Hand gesture to control what data you’re viewing
• AR heads-up display for Apple Watch, iOS, Garmin, Android

Julbo’s EVAD-1 also looks pretty good

 

The Opportunity

The company has very sensibly focussed on providing a solution for Apple and Garmin watch owners. Those are the market-leading brands for mid to high-end sports usage. The biggest problem is a massive #Shrug. Who actually needs this tech? and what benefit will it offer? Sure a H.U.D avoids the need to look down at your bike computer or save the inconvenience of raising your wrist whilst running but neither of those is onerous.

Having said that, it IS more difficult to look at your sports computer when executing high-intensity efforts although I might be able to use a heads-up display for these scenarios

• When racing or doing a TT – I just want one or two key metrics always visible whilst focussing on avoiding one of Britain’s many potholes in the road ahead.
• When navigating whilst running, a TBT cue or a breadcrumb image could be useful

So perhaps the opportunities are for bike races and trail runners?

Or perhaps, instead, I could make my Apple Watch Ultra display larger digits by reducing the number of metrics shown?

More: activelook.net

 

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