.png)
Brilliant Labs, the innovative startup behind the open-source smart glasses Frame, has announced the upcoming launch of its second-generation smart glasses, Halo. Set to debut on July 31, 2025, Halo represents a significant leap forward in wearable technology, blending advanced AI capabilities with a sleek, user-friendly design. Unlike its predecessor, the Panto-styled Frame, Halo adopts a wayfarer-style design, offering a more mainstream and fashionable look that appeals to a broader audience. Weighing just 40 grams, Halo is remarkably lightweight for smart glasses, yet it packs a powerful suite of features, including a camera, microphone, and bone-conduction speakers, all housed in a slender chassis.
Standout Features
One of the most impressive aspects of Halo is its battery life, with Brilliant Labs claiming up to 14 hours of use on a single charge. This is a notable improvement over many other smart glasses currently available, addressing a common pain point for users who rely on wearables throughout the day. Additionally, the company has partnered with SmartBuyGlasses to offer prescription lenses in over 100 countries, ensuring that Halo is accessible and practical for users who require corrective eyewear. This collaboration underscores Brilliant Labs' commitment to making smart glasses a viable option for everyday use.
AI-Powered Experience
At the heart of Halo's functionality is its AI agent, Noa, specifically designed to operate within the context of the glasses. Noa is capable of understanding and responding to the user's environment, providing real-time, contextually relevant information. Whether it's identifying objects, translating text, or answering queries, Noa aims to make interactions seamless and intuitive. Complementing this is the Narrative feature, an agentic memory system that retains details from the user's past interactions—such as names of people met or specifics from conversations—enhancing the personalization of the AI experience over time.
Halo also boasts a significant upgrade in its display technology. Unlike the Frame's monochromatic green display, Halo features a 0.2-inch color microOLED screen projected into the user's peripheral vision. This full-color display marks a substantial improvement, offering a more immersive and visually engaging experience.
Open-Source and Hackable
Continuing Brilliant Labs' tradition of open-source innovation, Halo is fully hackable, empowering developers and creative users to customize their experience. With the ability to build custom applications using natural language commands, users can instruct Noa to create apps tailored to their needs in seconds. Designed for the curious and creative, Halo is positioned as an open-source platform that invites users to explore and expand its capabilities. This focus on community-driven development sets Halo apart in a market increasingly dominated by proprietary systems.
Availability and Pricing
Halo will be available as a limited release, with pre-orders now open on the Brilliant Labs website for $299. This pricing makes it a competitive option in the smart glasses market, especially given its advanced features and open-source flexibility.
A Game-Changer in the Making
As the smart glasses market heats up—with major players like Meta, Google, and Xiaomi also making strides—Halo's launch represents a bold step forward. Its combination of AI-driven features, open-source flexibility, and practical design elements like prescription lens support and extended battery life positions it as a potential game-changer. For those intrigued by the future of wearable technology and AI, Halo offers an exciting glimpse into what smart glasses can achieve when innovation is placed in the hands of the user.
