Have you ever finished a hike with a scenic overlook only to find yourself arguing with a friend about the name of a river miles away? I have. Google Maps was no help, but the argument might have subsided if I’d had Unistellar’s upcoming Envision AR binoculars to label the distant landmarks.
Unistellar is known for building smart telescopes, but now Kickstarter Roots is working on promoting its AR binoculars. The company promises that its latest device can label objects and constellations in the night sky, as well as point out distant hiking trails and landmarks on the ground. As fun as that sounds, be aware that the device could cost you more than $800. And that’s only if you get it early.
Like most of the company’s other stargazing devices, Envision connects to your phone to access GPS and Unistellar’s online database. The device is equipped with an IMU that determines your position and angle. Using all that data, the AR binoculars will reportedly send augmented reality information to a microdisplay on the right lens. So if you’re looking at a distant mountain, Envision should be able to tell you the name of the mountain, how far it is to the peak, and even nearby trails. Plus, the company promises that if you hand the goggles to a friend, the device will help guide them to the distant landmark you were last looking at.
But if you’re deep in the woods, you might not have access to a full online database, and Unistellar says it allows users to download local information to their devices so they don’t have to rely on spotty cell service.
The company promises that the device will come with a large database of many distant landmarks and stars to view. Unistellar claims that the database contains information on more than 1,000 distant nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters. It will also house more than one million landmarks on Earth, including mountain peaks, caves, springs, and shelters. There is currently no list of exact locations, but the company says that the current GPS API does not work in China.
Expect to pay a few hundred dollars more for the Envision than you would for a regular car. High quality binocularsStill, at least when the Unistellar’s 5-hour battery dies, you can still use it as a pair of binoculars with 10x magnification and a 50mm diameter lens.
Unistella was last year eQuinox 2 And in 2024 OdysseyBoth are a new breed of smart telescopes that connect to a smartphone app to help identify celestial objects and distant galaxies. These stargazing devices are among the more expensive smart telescopes you can buy, but Gizmodo reviewed a few and found that their ease of use makes them worth the price.
This isn’t to encourage you to join the Kickstarter campaign, just that Unistellar has a track record of producing quality designs and following through on previous crowdfunding campaigns. The device is currently on sale for $700 as an early bird offer, but if you sign up before the campaign ends on July 29th, you’ll pay $800 excluding shipping.
Production is currently scheduled for September, with the first batch expected to ship in November, and the second batch for late joiners expected to ship in December, barring any unforeseen delays.
Admittedly, they’re pricey glasses, especially considering they don’t have night vision, stabilization, or photography capabilities. As with any Kickstarter, you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth promising a lower price for an untested product.
