- The W&O X1 headphones come with a camera attached
- They raise new concerns about illegal recordings
- There is a recording light that turns on when the camera is active
The debate surrounding smart glasses with attached cameras continues to rumble on – and Meta apparently still has plans for glasses that constantly record the world around them – and we now have a new pair of bone-conducting headphones that ditch the glasses but keep the camera.
They’re called the W&O X1 (via New Atlas), and of course they’re packed with lots of AI. This built-in assistant can help you navigate to places, identify landmarks, look up facts and answers online, and even translate between languages. All this is done through voice control and spoken responses.
To provide some of that AI functionality, the W&O X1 headphones are equipped with a 4K video camera provided by Samsung. It can take photos and videos with a tap or voice command, which can then be saved and analyzed as needed – and for privacy, shows a small recording light when the camera is active.
The headphones can also act as a miniature action camera, capturing high-definition video at 30 frames per second with a 130-degree wide-angle view, with what looks like impressive anti-shake technology built-in. Oh and did we mention they can also play music and make phone calls?
“Most headsets are made for listening,” W&O explains in the product listing. “X1 is built to see, hear, understand, record, translate, navigate and stay connected on the move. It’s a wearable AI system designed for the world beyond the screen.”
Privacy concerns
The idea of wearable cameras is becoming even more popular now, with the growing capabilities of AI and the continued shrinking of the components required. There’s something appealing about being able to capture memories instantly without having to dig out a phone and find the camera app.
At the same time, there are real concerns when it comes to privacy. The smart glasses already on the market make it a little too easy to covertly record, and a tiny camera attached to a pair of headphones is even harder to see. There is even now a BanRay movement calling for smart glasses to be banned in certain spaces.
To be fair to W&O, they seem to be targeting these headphones at cyclists, hikers, and other outdoor types, so it’s more for solo photo and video shooting. Still, it, along with other gadgets in the pipeline, highlights a growing need for proper security measures around devices with tiny embedded cameras.
The W&O X1 has blown their $3,000 funding goal on Kickstarter multiple times, and if you’re interested in a pair, you can reserve $139 (approx. £105 / AU$200) – with the usual Kickstarter caveat that crowdfunded hardware doesn’t always end up reaching consumers.
There are some decent specs here: IP6X dust and water protection, a lightweight construction of 48 grams, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support, and 30 hours of music playback between charges thanks to an integrated 800 mAh battery.
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