Introduction: A Technology Finally Coming of Age

For over a decade, smart glasses have oscillated between being dismissed as science fiction and heralded as the next computing revolution. After false starts with Google Glass in 2013 and numerous other prototypes that were too bulky, expensive, or socially awkward, the technology is finally reaching a tipping point in 2025-2026. With the smart glasses category growing nearly 250% in 2025, driven by AI integration and miniaturized components, the industry is experiencing unprecedented momentum.

Singapore has emerged as a crucial player in this transformation—not just as an early adopter market, but as home to innovative companies and a testing ground for smart city applications. This article explores both the intricate technology that makes modern smart glasses possible and Singapore’s unique position in shaping this industry’s future.

Part I: How Smart Glasses Actually Work

The Three-Part Architecture: Input, Processing, Output

Modern AI glasses operate on a simple three-part principle: Input, Processing, and Output. Understanding this flow reveals why recent advances have finally made these devices practical for everyday use.

Stage 1: Sensing and Input Systems

Unlike smartphones that require active engagement, smart glasses are designed to capture contextual information passively as users navigate their environment. This capability relies on multiple sensor systems working in concert:

Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) An IMU combines an accelerometer and a gyroscope to track head orientation and movement. This spatial awareness is fundamental—it allows the display to remain stable even during walking, creating a readable interface that doesn’t bounce with every step. The IMU also enables gesture-based controls and can detect when users tilt their heads to activate specific functions.

Camera Systems Many smart glasses incorporate outward-facing cameras for visual input, though this remains controversial. Amazon’s smart delivery glasses leverage AI-powered sensing capabilities and computer vision along with cameras to create a heads-up display that includes navigation details, hazards, and delivery tasks. However, privacy concerns have led some manufacturers to forgo cameras entirely. For instance, Halliday’s glasses rely on audio and motion inputs instead, making them more socially acceptable for everyday wear.

Microphone Arrays Multiple microphones enable voice commands, ambient sound awareness, and—in AI-powered models—contextual listening. Users can receive audio feedback via built-in speakers or bone-conduction technology, which transmits sound through skull vibrations, leaving ears open to environmental sounds.

Connectivity and Smartphone Pairing AI glasses are not standalone computers; they’re extensions of your smartphone. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections enable seamless data transfer, offloading heavy processing tasks while maintaining a lightweight form factor. This architecture allows the glasses to access the internet, sync with apps, and leverage cloud computing resources.

Stage 2: The AI Processing Layer

The intelligence behind smart glasses comes from sophisticated processing that happens across multiple tiers:

Edge Computing vs. Cloud Processing Simple tasks are handled directly on the glasses or connected smartphone for faster response times, less data usage, and better privacy, while complex queries requiring advanced generative AI models are sent to powerful cloud servers. This hybrid approach provides powerful capabilities without requiring massive, power-hungry processors inside the frames.

For example, basic navigation instructions might be processed locally, while natural language questions requiring large language models get routed to the cloud. The system intelligently decides where to process each request based on complexity, latency requirements, and connectivity.

AI Feature Integration AI glasses often come with built-in voice assistants such as Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant, allowing users to check weather, set reminders, make calls, or control smart home devices through voice without needing to pull out a phone. More advanced features include:

• Real-time language translation displayed as subtitles
• Object and facial recognition
• Contextual information retrieval
• Gesture recognition for hands-free control
• Predictive assistance based on user patterns

Stage 3: Output and Display Technologies

The final stage—presenting information to users—represents some of the most innovative engineering in the entire system.

Waveguide and Projection Systems AI glasses use a projection system to create a transparent image that appears to float in your field of view, often achieved with micro-OLED projectors and waveguide technology that guides light across the lens and directs it toward your eye. This creates a true heads-up experience without requiring users to look down at another device.

Different manufacturers take varying approaches to display design. The Halliday glasses, developed in Singapore, use what they call “DigiWindow” technology—a small microLED projector above the right lens that beams a monochrome green image directly to the eye with light dim enough to be safe but bright enough to be seen against ambient light, creating what appears as a virtual 3.5-inch screen in the upper right corner of the field of view.

Audio Output Systems For glasses without displays or as supplementary output, audio cues through small speakers located in the arms of the glasses deliver notifications and AI assistant responses. Some systems use directional speakers that focus sound toward the wearer’s ears while minimizing sound leakage to others nearby.

Power Management and Battery Technology

One of the most challenging aspects of smart glasses design is balancing functionality with battery life and weight. Modern designs achieve all-day usage through several innovations:

• Ultra-efficient processors designed specifically for wearables
• Selective activation of power-hungry components
• Optimized display technologies that consume minimal power
• Strategic offloading of intensive tasks to paired smartphones

The Halliday glasses weigh just 28.5 grams and last up to 12 hours, demonstrating how far miniaturization has progressed.

Part II: Singapore’s Strategic Position in the Smart Glasses Ecosystem

A Global Innovation Hub

Singapore has positioned itself uniquely in the smart glasses revolution through multiple complementary advantages: its status as a technology hub, its comprehensive Smart Nation infrastructure, and its role as both innovator and early adopter market.

Halliday: Singapore’s Smart Glasses Pioneer

One of the most promising models in the market is the AI glasses from Halliday, based in Singapore, representing one of two different design concepts evolving in today’s smart-glasses market. The company made waves at CES 2025 with glasses featuring what they describe as “proactive AI”—an AI agent that uses active listening to learn from surroundings and provide responses in real time.

What makes Halliday significant is not just its innovative technology, but its philosophy of creating glasses that blend seamlessly into daily life. The company prioritizes:

• Discreet Design: Looking like conventional eyewear rather than obvious technology
• Privacy-First Approach: No outward-facing camera to address social concerns
• Proactive Intelligence: AI that anticipates needs based on context rather than requiring explicit commands
• Accessibility: Supporting prescription lenses at no extra cost

Halliday’s emergence from Singapore reflects the city-state’s broader ecosystem advantages—access to capital, engineering talent, government support for innovation, and a tech-savvy population willing to adopt new technologies.

Singapore’s Smart Nation Foundation

To understand Singapore’s smart glasses impact, we must first appreciate the technological infrastructure that makes advanced wearable adoption possible.

World-Class Digital Infrastructure Singapore has invested heavily in smart city initiatives, with strong political will and robust infrastructure including high-speed internet, smart sensors, and automated systems widely available. The nation’s 5G network coverage and edge computing capabilities provide the low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity essential for real-time AI workload processing on mobile devices.

IoT Integration at Scale By 2025, Singapore has deployed 1.2 million IoT sensors across the city, driving a 15% reduction in commuting times and a 12% drop in energy use since 2023. This extensive sensor network creates an environment where wearable devices like smart glasses can access rich contextual data—real-time traffic conditions, air quality, crowd density, and more—enhancing their utility far beyond standalone operation.

Healthcare Digital Transformation In healthcare, wearable IoT devices monitor vital signs enabling early interventions for conditions like diabetes, with these devices increasing telehealth adoption by 30% among elderly Singaporeans. This acceptance of health-monitoring wearables creates a foundation for broader adoption of smart glasses with health features.

Market Dynamics and Adoption Patterns

Singapore represents an ideal test market for smart glasses due to several factors:

High Technology Adoption Today, 90% of Singapore’s population uses smartphones, enabling seamless integration of technology across sectors like healthcare, education, and public services. This digital literacy translates directly to readiness for wearable computing.

Asia-Pacific Market Leadership The APAC region holds opportunities for the smart glasses market owing to adoption of IoT in China, India, Singapore and Japan. Singapore serves as a regional hub, with adoption patterns often predicting broader Southeast Asian trends.

Government Support and Incentives Singapore’s government is actively supporting these advancements through various incentives, such as the 5G Innovation Programme, which helps companies develop and test next-generation wearable technologies.

Part III: Sectoral Impact in Singapore

Healthcare and Medical Applications

Smart glasses are transforming Singapore’s healthcare delivery in multiple ways:

Remote Patient Monitoring The Smart Nation Platform extends into healthcare by leveraging technology to improve patient care, with initiatives such as telehealth services, wearable health monitoring devices, and the use of data analytics in healthcare management contributing to a more connected and responsive healthcare system.

Smart glasses could integrate with Singapore’s National Electronic Health Record system, allowing healthcare providers to access patient information hands-free during consultations or procedures. For elderly patients, glasses with fall detection and vital sign monitoring could provide an additional safety layer.

Surgical and Clinical Applications In medical settings, smart glasses can assist surgeons during procedures, with augmented reality technology displaying health information and guidance in the field of vision. Singapore’s advanced hospitals are well-positioned to adopt these tools for training, remote consultation, and precision procedures.

Accessibility for Visual Impairment Meta’s AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses are helping transform everyday lives for blind and partially sighted users, with the AI in the glasses processing still images and providing answers to help with navigation and object identification. Singapore’s emphasis on inclusive technology makes it likely the city-state will pioneer public programs supporting such assistive devices.

Transportation and Logistics

Singapore’s sophisticated transport infrastructure creates ideal applications for smart glasses:

Last-Mile Delivery Optimization Amazon is developing smart delivery glasses to help drivers identify hazards, seamlessly navigate to customers’ doorsteps, and improve deliveries, with the wearable system designed with input from hundreds of delivery associates. Singapore’s dense urban environment and extensive e-commerce ecosystem could benefit significantly from similar implementations.

Public Transport Enhancement Smart glasses could integrate with Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit system, providing real-time directions, platform information, and accessibility features for passengers with disabilities. Singapore already uses geospatial technology to map and recommend wheelchair-friendly routes with features such as ramps, lifts, and wider pathways—smart glasses could deliver this information seamlessly.

Manufacturing and Industry 4.0

Singapore’s advanced manufacturing sector stands to gain substantially from smart glasses adoption:

Remote Assistance and Training More than 60% of large manufacturers will adopt or test AR-based smart glasses for remote factory work and remote assistance for productive performance by 2025. Singapore’s manufacturing facilities can use smart glasses to connect floor workers with remote experts, reducing downtime and improving efficiency.

Quality Control and Inspection By integrating connected sensors or devices with cloud analytics and digital twin platforms, AI smart glasses enable visualization of live equipment data including performance and asset utilization, along with predictive maintenance alerts and logistics tracking.

Retail and Consumer Services

Enhanced Shopping Experience In Singapore’s retail sector, the iFashion Cloud platform has gained traction offering AR fitting rooms, allowing consumers to virtually try on clothes using their smartphones. Smart glasses could eliminate the need for holding phones, providing a more immersive and hands-free shopping experience.

Tourism and Navigation For Singapore’s tourism industry, smart glasses offer compelling applications—real-time translation, contextual information about landmarks, and seamless navigation through the city’s attractions, all delivered without requiring tourists to constantly check their phones.

Part IV: Challenges and Considerations

Despite the momentum, several challenges must be addressed for widespread smart glasses adoption in Singapore and globally:

Privacy and Social Acceptance

The most persistent concern remains privacy. In a 2024 consumer survey, 42% of respondents reported being concerned about smart glasses, with worries about continuous data collection, surveillance, and cybersecurity implications.

Singapore’s strict data protection regulations, including the Personal Data Protection Act, provide a framework for addressing these concerns. Companies like Halliday have responded by eliminating outward-facing cameras, demonstrating that useful smart glasses don’t require constant recording capabilities.

Cybersecurity in a Connected Ecosystem

With 1.2 million IoT devices, Singapore is a prime target for cyberattacks, with the city responding by adopting post-quantum cryptography with NIST-standardized algorithms deployed in 60% of government systems by July 2025. Smart glasses, as another node in this network, must meet equally rigorous security standards.

Ergonomics and Comfort

Many AI smart glasses still weigh in the range of 80 grams to 150 grams and may cause fatigue when worn for extended amounts of time, with other usability limitations like heat dissipation, limited field of view, and lens distortion. Achieving true all-day comfort remains an engineering challenge.

Digital Divide and Accessibility

While most Singaporeans embraced technology, some elderly and low-income residents struggled to keep up with digital services. Smart glasses, if not carefully deployed, could exacerbate this divide. Programs ensuring accessibility and digital literacy training will be essential.

Cost Barriers

Current smart glasses range from $299 for basic models to $799 for advanced versions—substantial investments for many consumers. High initial investment in smart glass products remains a barrier to mass adoption, especially in price-sensitive markets, limiting adoption mainly to premium buildings and select public infrastructure projects.

Part V: Future Outlook and Opportunities

Market Growth Projections

The momentum behind smart glasses shows no signs of slowing. Some 10 million smart glasses were released in 2025, but that may reach 55 million by 2030 according to Bank of America. AR glasses are expected to mature by 2027 and could surpass AI glasses in volume by 2030, reshaping how users engage with wearable tech.

Singapore’s Competitive Advantages

Singapore is well-positioned to capitalize on this growth through:

Innovation Ecosystem The government fostered technological adoption by encouraging startups, attracting tech giants like Google and Alibaba, and hosting events like the Singapore FinTech Festival. This ecosystem supports companies like Halliday while attracting international smart glasses manufacturers to establish regional operations.

Smart City Integration Singapore’s Punggol Digital District integrates smart city technology and systems for real-time monitoring, management, and resource optimization. Such environments provide ideal testing grounds for smart glasses applications across urban planning, facility management, and public services.

Regulatory Leadership Singapore can establish itself as a leader in smart glasses governance, developing balanced regulations that protect privacy while enabling innovation—a model other nations could follow.

Emerging Applications

Several nascent applications could transform how Singaporeans interact with their city:

Real-Time Civic Engagement The Smart Nation initiative incorporates digital platforms and mobile applications to facilitate real-time communication between citizens and the government, with residents able to report issues and actively participate in shaping the city’s sustainability agenda. Smart glasses could streamline this engagement further, allowing citizens to report potholes, littering, or infrastructure issues simply by looking at them and issuing a voice command.

Enhanced Education Students could access educational AR overlays during field trips, bringing historical sites to life or visualizing complex scientific concepts in their actual environment. Singapore’s emphasis on education technology makes this a natural evolution.

Elderly Care Innovation With Singapore’s aging population, smart glasses offering medication reminders, fall detection, navigation assistance, and emergency services connectivity could become valuable caregiving tools, supporting the nation’s goal of aging in place.

Conclusion: A Convergent Future

The convergence of several trends—AI maturation, component miniaturization, 5G deployment, and changing social acceptance—has created the conditions for smart glasses to finally achieve mainstream adoption. Singapore’s unique combination of technological infrastructure, innovation capacity, and forward-thinking governance positions it not just as an early adopter but as a shaper of how this technology evolves globally.

As Warby Parker’s co-CEO Dave Gilboa suggested possible uses like showing how to cook ingredients the glasses see, how to fix broken toys, or reminding people where they left their keys, stating “We believe that AI glasses are going to be the native form factor for the AI era”, the vision becomes clear: smart glasses may finally deliver on the promise of ubiquitous computing that fades into the background of daily life.

For Singapore, the opportunity extends beyond simply adopting this technology. As home to innovative companies like Halliday, as a testbed for smart city integration, and as a regional technology hub, Singapore can help define what “smart” truly means in smart glasses—not just technologically capable, but contextually intelligent, socially acceptable, and genuinely useful in enhancing human capability rather than distracting from it.

The next five years will determine whether smart glasses achieve the mainstream success that smartphones did, or remain a niche technology. Singapore’s role in writing that chapter has only just begun.