Seeing through Smart(er) Glasses in Higher Education

Smart GLASSES?

Smart glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta are wearable devices that combine traditional eyewear with advanced technology, featuring built-in cameras (12MP), open-ear speakers, microphones, and touchpad controls that enable users to capture photos/videos, make calls, and interact with AI assistants hands-free - all while looking like regular glasses. Notably, some of these features don’t work in the EU like they do in the US. 

Looking ahead, Meta's upcoming Orion glasses promise to take this technology further by incorporating true AR capabilities through tiny temple-mounted projectors and neural interface controls, potentially transforming how we interact with digital information in our field of view. 

The evolution of AI-enabled smart glasses, from today's Ray-Ban Meta to tomorrow's Orion, makes it crucial for educational professionals to discuss these technologies now, as they will inevitably enter educational institutions and change how we teach, learn, and interact in academic environments.

Framing the conversation

Smart Glasses in Higher Education as a report models the conversation that needs to be had now in a great way with an overview of the concerns the students discuss in more detail throughout the paper. 

Eye-catching recommendations: 
Here are a couple of interesting considerations and recommendations we picked up from the paper that we want to share with you. 

• “Smart glasses may pose more of a threat when hacked than laptops and smartphones because when worn, the camera is always in alignment with the user's direct point of view.”(pg. 9, 2025) 
  • Whether future SMART glasses have cameras on the front of the frame or not will be a large determining factor of safety and autonomy of others. Many (intimate) moments may be recorded without the knowledge of those surrounding the glasses wearer, whether or not they notice the ‘safety light’. 
     
• “Bringing it to the higher-education context, EMG wristbands could significantly enhance accessibility by enabling hands-free interaction with digital content. For instance, students with physical disabilities could leverage these wristbands to navigate virtual learning environments or operate augmented interfaces, fostering greater inclusivity in the education process by reducing physical barriers to interaction.” (pg. 13, 2025)
  • Continued advancements in human-computer interaction bring new capabilities. New capabilities that lower obstacles and thresholds to interacting with our digital surroundings. These are exciting advances in EMG technologies that many can benefit from. 
     
• "Distraction from technology is already a significant issue in education... Smart glasses, when worn continuously, are even more accessible than smartphones or laptops. Their holographic projection of images and text makes distractions not only more apparent but also harder to ignore.³² Additionally, the integration of wristbands to control the glasses reduces the effort needed to access these features, further increasing the potential for distraction. In environments where focused attention is critical for understanding complex topics, such invasive distractions could hinder learning outcomes." (pg. 17, 2025)
  • Our phones live in our pockets, our laptops on our tables, and our smartwatches on our wrists. What will be our relationship with these glasses in the near future and how will they find time on our faces? Screen time will be redefined in the future to include SMART glasses and their small screens (if they have them), and a new conversation around ‘time well spent’ online will begin.

A New Pair of Lenses

We invite you to click and read through this report, it will inspire you to consider the future of SMART glasses and perhaps the current lenses on your face. From the Responsible Tech project at SURF, we were lucky to have these students write for us! We want to help our members complex these conversations and look ahead towards new technologies. Papers like this do just that! 

Find this report and other student reports from our Responsible Tech Wiki page: https://wiki.surfnet.nl/x/4AycCQ 

References in this blog: 
1. Parametric Architecture. (2024, September 27). Meta Orion: Their first true AR glasses. Parametric Architecture. https://parametric-architecture.com/meta-orion-their-first-true-ar-glasses/

2. Business Standard. (2024, September 26). Meta Connect: Orion AR glasses, cheaper Quest 3s headset, and more unveiled. Business Standard. https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/meta-connect-orion-ar-glasses-cheaper-quest-3s-headset-and-more-unveiled-124092600267_1.html