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The Epson Moverio BT-45CS’s rugged, durable headset indicates
its industrial focus. |
Epson has produced augmented reality smart glasses for over a decade, and has used its optical and projection know-how to improve its products. This experience has culminated in the Epson Moverio BT-45C and BT-45CS smart glasses, which combine full HD OLED displays with a headset designed in conjunction with customer feedback to create a more durable, more comfortable, and more usable unit.
Both devices have flip-up glasses so that the displays can be moved out of the way when needed without removing the headset, rubber side bumpers to help keep the device safe if it’s dropped or banged against something, and a centrally located eight-megapixel camera so that viewers can see what’s in the wearer’s line of sight even when the glasses are raised. Auto-focus helps remote viewers see text more clearly, as Epson showed in the online demo of the BT-45C that we watched.
The BT45C and BT-45CS tech specs include full HD 0.45" displays with a 60 Hz refresh rate, 24-bit color imaging, a 34o field of view, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and a USB-C connector. The BT-45CS comes with a touchscreen controller containing an eight-core Snapdragon XR1 processor running at 2.52GHz, 4GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage with up to 2 TB of external Micro SD storage, a 2.95" display, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
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| The Epson Moverio BT-45C’s and BT-45CS’s headline features. |
Epson said it tested the headset on a large sample of users to help design a versatile, comfortable wearable device, and that’s resulted in an adjustable headband. The devices can be used in conjunction with prescription glasses, too. The BT-45C and BT-45CS also come with a carry case (to keep the devices safe in transit and when not in use) with room for items like an AC adaptor.
Epson is firmly targeting the industrial sector with the BT-45-series smart glasses, hence the devices’ conformity with the MIL-STD-810H drop test standard as well as IP52 (limited dust protection) and ANSI Z87.1 (eye protection) compliance. This helps to protect the wearer, offering the confidence to use the devices without worrying about accidental damage.
Keypoint Intelligence Opinion
Epson’s experience means that it knows its market and knows what that market wants. The company is confident that the Moverio BT-45C and BT-45CS will help it retain customers and attract new ones. We’re sure the devices’ durable design and improved usability will help Epson achieve that goal—as comfort and user confidence is key to meaningful adoption—but hope that the devices’ next iteration will provide an even wider field of view.
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