Binoculars and telescopes aren’t the kind of products that I usually get to review. Let’s face it, the technology is hardly new because binoculars or field glasses have been around ever since Galileo first invented the telescope. Soon people were using two telescopes lashed together to create binocular vision.
With the advent of augmented reality, binoculars are being updated and now we are starting to see smart binoculars coming onto the market. Unistellar is a brand that already makes advanced and user-friendly smart telescopes, now it is set to expand its range with the upcoming launch of Envision smart binoculars which will be launched with a Kickstarter campaign.
Envision smart binoculars combine traditional optics with augmented reality to overlay contextual information on the view. The result is a pair of binoculars that can offer personalized information with detailed labeling of whatever is being viewed, whether that is landscape or heavenly bodies.
With Envision offering the option of night-time stargazing or daytime terrestrial observation, users can explore the night sky with an overlay showing where stars and planets are. Alternatively, they can survey the landscape before them and be shown important landmarks.
The Envision binoculars work but connect with a smartphone running the Unistellar their companion app. The smart binoculars can access a comprehensive database of maps labeled with contextual information.
In Smart Scouting Mode a 3D map is overlayed on the view, showing landmarks, water sources, trails and refuges, plus points of interest. At night, the binoculars will provide contextual information about what is interesting and visible at night.
In Guided Navigation Mode the app will point out stars, comets, starfields and other points of interest. The binoculars can take the user on a tour of the stars, revealing the hidden gems in the night sky. During the day, similar visual cues appear directly in the field of view, guiding the user towards points of interest and improving navigation in unfamiliar terrain.
Using Shareable Target-Lock Mode, whether that’s a camouflaged lion during a safari or a shining object in the night sky, the users can lock on to the target. Then the binoculars can be passed to someone else who will be guided to the same target so both users can enjoy watching the same thing.
There is a time and a place for technology and the app can be disconnected in Classic Optical Mode. This will turn off the AR overlay and turn the Envision into a regular pair of optical binoculars.
Unistellar says that the Envision smart binoculars are easy to use and have intuitive controls that are seamlessly integrated with a smartphone. The companion app includes an extensive database of maps and contextual information, making it a useful tool for amateur stargazers or outdoor explorers. The early bird price for the Envision binoculars is slated at $599, while the post-campaign price is suggested as $999.
To ensure the Envision binoculars have a smooth development, Unistellar is intending to launch the smart binoculars with a Kickstarter campaign. The company first ventured on to Kickstarter for the development of the eVscope. When the campaign went live in 2017, more than $2.2m was raised so Envision could revolutionize its backyard telescopes and produce a smart telescope that went on to establish a whole new product category that ultimately ended in Nikon investing in the company in 2023.
To find out more about the Unistellar Envision and register potential interest, visit www.unistellar.com/envision
