Recent demos of smart glasses from Meta and Snap have shown off some impressive visuals. But the brains are the thing.

If Apple introduces AR glasses, it has the potential to, once again, emerge as a key influencer that propels it into widespread adoption in the future.

There's a long way to go until Meta Orion is in our hands, but there are plenty of AR glasses to keep us occupied in the meantime.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Orion glasses are the lenses, which are not made from glass or plastic. Instead, Meta is using a silicon carbide where tiny projections are beamed onto the lenses. This material is supposed to be more durable, lighter and features an ultrahigh index for refraction of the on-board projectors.

Meta is rolling out some of the previously announced features to its AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses for users in the US and Canada.

Unlike similar headsets that fit over the eyes like goggles, Orion “combines the look and feel of a regular pair of glasses with the immersive capabilities of augmented reality.”