Brilliant Labs Unveils Open-Source AR Lens with AI Integration

Singapore-based startup, Brilliant Labs, has recently secured $3m in seed funding to improve its Monocle product, an open-source, pocket-sized augmented reality (AR) lens that can be attached to any eyewear or held to the eye. The compact wearable, which weighs just 15g, has already gained a following with developers, hobbyists, and researchers using the device to experiment with fusing generative AI and AR. The startup’s ultimate goal is to run deep learning models directly on its AR devices, eliminating the need for a smartphone. Brilliant Labs’ CEO and co-founder, Bobak Tavangar, said that the company’s emphasis is on providing a lightweight, affordable, and focused hardware device that delivers an AI-powered experience. Monocle comes with five different processors, including a field-programmable gate array accelerator chip, and Brilliant Labs currently has close to 2,000 developers in its Discord community. The company plans to introduce more services powered by large language models soon, aiming to charge for the services, while not holding onto customer data. Monocle retails for $349.