Oura might be expanding beyond smart rings in the near future, according to recently discovered patent filings from the company.
The company appears to be developing new smart glasses that seamlessly integrate with smart rings and smartwatches.
The wearable system isn’t dissimilar to Samsung’s approach, which integrates the brand’s smart ring with its (admittedly bulkier) mixed-reality headset, the Galaxy XR.
Eyes on the metrics
The patent suggests the smart glasses might feature a heads-up display (HUD) with details such as heart rate, temperature and movement beamed to your line of sight.
Considering it’s a system built on wearables that continuously capture data, it’s not impossible to imagine Oura’s smart glasses could display real-time health data and smart notifications.
According to Gadgets and Wearables, the filings suggest an on-board camera that could automatically record your surroundings in the case of ‘abnormally’ high heart rate readings, for example.
The documents also suggest gesture control, championed by companies such as Apple and Samsung, that could trigger actions like capturing a photo or recording a video.
Filed, not final
Another interesting tidbit in the patent is its authors, many of whom are from AR teams at tech firms such as Meta.
If true, that might indicate Oura is taking the development seriously and not just as leverage in potential lawsuits if someone releases a product with similar specs, as has increasingly been the case in the wearable space in recent years.
It makes sense for Oura to move into the smart glasses industry, given the hype around the new wearable category.
Companies such as Ray-Ban and Oakley achieved significant success with their products, including the Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses and the Oakley Meta HSTN Glasses.
Oakley’s Vanguard glasses connect to Garmin watches and can provide real-time feedback, albeit limited and without a HUD.
If Oura manages to weave smart rings and smart glasses together into a workable ecosystem, it might help the brand expand into one of the most exciting technological areas right now, augmented reality.
It’s equally possible that we won’t ever see the Oura smart glasses, as patents not always come to fruition (see also Apple’s ring patent that works on your neck, which, thankfully, we’ve never got to experience).
The Oura Ring 4 is available on the company’s website, priced from £349.
