Every year at CES, Razer has some exciting tech on offer. This year is no different as they’ve come up with headphones that go beyond audio nirvana. Dubbed Project Motoko, the over-ear headphones are the next frontier of wearable AI, since they have eyes. Yes, the concept cans are loaded with a pair of Sony 4K cameras (with 12MP resolution), to make you ditch your smart glasses for good reason. Since most of us wear headphones more than smart glasses, this innovation makes complete sense.
AI is the name of the game at this year’s CES, even though we’ve seen cramming of machine learning technology in things where it makes no sense or is not useful at all. The Motoko headphones are different as they build on an accessory we already use a lot. The in-built cameras analyse the world around you, seeing what the user sees, in first-person view. They can do pretty much what other smart glasses can, and yes, they play ear-pleasing music when you need to zone out.
Designer: Razer
According to Nick Bourne, Global Head of Mobile Console Division, Razer, “By partnering with Qualcomm Technologies, we’re building a platform that enhances gameplay while transforming how technology integrates into everyday life. This is the next frontier for immersive experiences.”
Motoko headphones can do translations in real time, beam weather updates, provide navigation input, and a whole lot more. The biggest advantage Razer should be appreciated for compared to smart glasses is that the Motko can fetch information from multiple AI assistants, including Grok, Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Meta. Most basic functions run on the headphones, like checking the calendar updates and schedules. For other deeply embedded tasks, you have to pair them with a phone or PC. For the most part, someone unassuming won’t be able to tell the difference between a normal pair of headphones and these.
The headphones are built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon platform, making them AI-powered in a real sense. You can recognize objects, track exercises, or even summarize information. The stereoscopic vision extends the field of view beyond the human peripheral vision capabilities. In combination with the audio input and the far-and-near field microphones, the headphones detect dialogue, voice commands, or ambient noises. Thereby, the headphones use all this data in machine learning applications, which ultimately assist the user in daily tasks, work, and, of course, gaming. Down the line, you could be using them for preparing meals in the kitchen, immersive AI guidance in strategy games, or translating in real-time when travelling abroad.
As per Ziad Asghar, SVP and GM of XR at Qualcomm Technologies, they are thrilled to work with Razer to push “AI wearable computing into a new era where intelligence, performance, and immersive experiences converge.” There is no word yet on the probable timeline for the release of the headphones, but they definitely are exciting tech to experiment with and use in daily life. The AI-assisted feature should work at a deeper level with the headphones, and it’ll be exciting to use them hands-on.
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