Researchers at Meta Reality Labs have unveiled a new wearable device they’re calling Aria 2 as part of Project Aria. Although its designed for to further the cause of AR, these frames don’t actually display anything to the wearer. Instead, the function is all about capturing data, lots of it.
Equipped with multiple cameras, microphones, and motion sensors, the glasses collect a continuous stream of what experts call egocentric data, that is, the world as seen and heard directly from the wearer’s perspective. Project Aria is strictly a research platform, designed to accelerate breakthroughs in machine perception and context-aware AI. By recording video, audio, and even eye-tracking information, researchers hope to unlock new insights on how future AR devices might better understand user behavior and environment.
One of Project Aria’s most notable design principles is its effort to address privacy concerns. An indicator light switches on whenever the system is actively recording, giving bystanders a heads-up. There’s also a physical “privacy switch” that immediately stops recording and erases the current session if needed.
Meta Reality Labs says that the ultimate goal is to make augmented reality more intuitive and valuable to everyday life. While many people associate AR headsets with holographic displays and flashy overlays, Project Aria flips that script, focusing instead on gathering the raw information researchers need to make future AR products smarter, more responsive, and more privacy-conscious.
For now, these understated glasses won’t be hitting store shelves. They’re destined for laboratories and partnered universities, where scientists will use the captured data to develop advanced AI models. But if Meta’s bet pays off, the next generation of wearable devices could be a major leap forward in merging the physical and digital worlds.
