Epson Moverio BT-300
| Epson Moverio BT-300 | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Smart Glasses |
| Subtype | Consumer AR |
| Platform | Android 5.1 |
| Creator | Epson |
| Developer | Epson |
| Manufacturer | Epson |
| Announcement Date | February 2016 (MWC) |
| Release Date | October 2016 |
| Price | $699 (AR/Developer Edition), $999 (Drone FPV Edition) |
| Website | https://epson.com/ |
| Versions | BT-300 AR/Developer Edition, BT-300 Drone FPV Edition |
| Requires | None (standalone) |
| Predecessor | Epson Moverio BT-200 |
| Successor | Epson Moverio BT-40 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Android 5.1 |
| Chipset | Intel Atom X5 |
| CPU | Intel Atom X5 (quad-core) |
| GPU | Integrated Intel HD Graphics |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 16GB |
| Memory | 2GB RAM |
| SD Card Slot | Yes (microSD) |
| Display | |
| Display | Dual Si-OLED (binocular) |
| Subpixel Layout | RGB |
| Peak Brightness | Not specified |
| Resolution | 1280 × 720 (HD) combined |
| Pixel Density | N/A |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Persistence | Low persistence |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 23° diagonal |
| Horizontal FoV | ~23° |
| Vertical FoV | ~13° |
| Average Pixel Density | N/A |
| Peak Pixel Density | N/A |
| Foveated Rendering | No |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Si-OLED waveguide |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | Fixed |
| Adjustable Diopter | No (glasses compatible) |
| Passthrough | Native see-through (AR) |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 3DoF (IMU) |
| Tracking Frequency | N/A |
| Base Stations | None |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Face Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | No |
| Body Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | No |
| Update Rate | 60Hz |
| Tracking Volume | N/A |
| Play Space | Mobile AR |
| Latency | <50ms |
| Audio | |
| Audio | 3.5mm audio jack (controller unit) |
| Microphone | Yes |
| 3.5mm Audio Jack | Yes |
| Camera | 5MP front-facing camera |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, GPS |
| Ports | microSD, 3.5mm audio, USB |
| Wired Video | Yes (USB connection) |
| Wireless Video | Yes (Wi-Fi streaming) |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Power | Internal battery |
| Battery Capacity | ~2200mAh (controller unit) |
| Battery Life | ~6 hours |
| Charge Time | ~5 hours |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 191 × 178 × 25mm (glasses) |
| Weight | 69g (glasses only) |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Headstrap | None (glasses temples) |
| Haptics | No |
| Color | Black |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, GPS |
| Input | Touchpad (controller), camera |
| Compliance | FCC, CE |
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The Epson Moverio BT-300 is a binocular smart glasses device developed by Epson, announced at Mobile World Congress in February 2016 and released in October 2016 at a price of $699 for the AR/Developer Edition. The BT-300 represented a significant advancement over its BT-200 predecessor, introducing Epson's breakthrough Silicon-OLED (Si-OLED) display technology that enabled 100,000:1 contrast ratio and truly transparent augmented reality—when no content is displayed, the lenses appear nearly clear. Weighing just 69 grams for the glasses portion (the world's lightest binocular see-through smart glasses at launch), the BT-300 featured 720p HD resolution across both lenses, an Intel Atom X5 processor running Android 5.1, and a connected controller unit handling processing and battery. Popular applications included drone FPV piloting (with a dedicated Drone Edition), museum exhibits, entertainment venues, and industrial information display.
History and Development
Moverio Heritage
Product line:
- BT-100 (2011)
- BT-200 (2014)
- BT-300 (2016)
- Continued evolution
Si-OLED Breakthrough
Display innovation:
- Silicon-based OLED
- True transparency
- 100,000:1 contrast
- Epson developed
MWC 2016 Announcement
February reveal:
- Si-OLED introduction
- 20% lighter than BT-200
- Improved display
- October availability
Multiple Editions
Market versions:
- AR/Developer Edition ($699)
- Drone FPV Edition ($999)
- DJI partnership
- Specialized bundles
Design Philosophy
True Transparency
Si-OLED benefit:
- Clear lenses when off
- No visible display elements
- Natural appearance
- Social acceptability
Binocular AR
Dual display:
- Both eyes served
- Stereoscopic capable
- Side-by-side 3D
- Full AR experience
Lightweight Priority
Comfort focus:
- 69g glasses only
- Extended wear capable
- Glasses-like weight
- World's lightest (binocular)
Display Technology
Silicon-OLED
Breakthrough technology:
- Resolution: 720p HD
- Contrast: 100,000:1
- Type: Si-OLED
- Epson proprietary
True Black
OLED benefit:
- Pixel-off transparency
- No backlight visible
- True see-through
- Clear when inactive
Binocular Display
Dual image:
- Both lenses have display
- Stereoscopic content
- 3D capable
- Full field usage
Field of View
Information window:
- 23° diagonal
- Information overlay
- Not immersive
- Data display focused
Optical System
Si-OLED Waveguide
Light guide technology:
- Compact projection
- See-through design
- High transparency
- Quality optics
Transparency
AR characteristic:
- Real world visible
- Digital overlay
- Natural blending
- Environment awareness
Processing
Intel Atom X5
Controller processor:
- Quad-core CPU
- Intel HD Graphics
- Efficient performance
- Android capable
Controller Unit
Separate processing:
- Processing in controller
- Battery in controller
- Wired connection
- Weight distribution
Memory
Standard specification:
- RAM: 2GB
- Storage: 16GB
- Expandable: microSD
- Android adequate
Camera
5MP Front Camera
Image capture:
- Photo capable
- AR registration
- POV recording
- Documentation
Camera Features
Functionality:
- AR marker detection
- Real-world sensing
- Video recording
- Content capture
Controller Unit
Processing Hub
Central unit:
- Intel Atom processor
- Battery pack
- Input controls
- Connection ports
Touchpad
Input method:
- Swipe gestures
- Tap selection
- Navigation
- Primary input
Ports
Connectivity:
- microSD slot
- 3.5mm audio
- USB connection
- Standard interfaces
Audio
3.5mm Audio Jack
Controller audio:
- Headphone connection
- Controller-located
- Private listening
- Standard port
Microphone
Voice capture:
- Built-in microphone
- Voice input
- Recording
- Communication
Sensors
Motion Sensors
Orientation detection:
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Compass
- 3DoF tracking
GPS
Location awareness:
- Position detection
- Navigation apps
- Location AR
- Outdoor use
Battery
Controller Battery
Power system:
- ~2200mAh
- ~6 hours use
- ~5 hours charge
- Reasonable life
Physical Design
Glasses Form
Wearable design:
- Sunglasses-like
- 69g weight (glasses)
- Foldable temples
- Portable
Dimensions
Compact size:
- 191 × 178 × 25mm
- Glasses form
- Pocketable
- Travel friendly
Tethered Design
Two-part system:
- Glasses display
- Controller unit
- Cable connection
- Distributed weight
Software
Android 5.1
Operating system:
- Standard Android
- App compatibility
- SDK available
- Developer friendly
Moverio Apps
Content ecosystem:
- AR applications
- Utilities
- Entertainment
- Enterprise tools
SDK
Development platform:
- Unity support
- Native development
- AR tools
- Developer access
Use Cases
Drone FPV
Popular application:
- First-person view flying
- DJI integration
- Real-time feed
- Immersive piloting
Museums/Exhibits
Information overlay:
- Exhibit information
- Interactive displays
- Guided tours
- Educational content
Entertainment
Consumer applications:
- Personal cinema
- Gaming
- AR experiences
- Media viewing
Enterprise
Professional use:
- Information display
- Hands-free data
- Instructions
- Guidance systems
Editions
AR/Developer Edition
Standard version:
- $699 price
- General purpose
- Development use
- Consumer AR
Drone FPV Edition
Specialized bundle:
- $999 price
- DJI controller mount
- FPV software
- Drone piloting
Comparison with Competitors
| Feature | Epson BT-300 | Google Glass | ODG R-7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $699 | $1,500 | $2,750 |
| Display | Binocular | Monocular | Binocular |
| Resolution | 720p | 640×360 | 720p |
| FOV | 23° | 15° | 30° |
| Weight | 69g (glasses) | 36g | 125g |
| See-through | Yes (Si-OLED) | Yes | Yes |
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths
- True transparent Si-OLED
- 100,000:1 contrast ratio
- Ultra-lightweight (69g glasses)
- Binocular display
- Drone FPV capable
- Affordable ($699)
Limitations
- Small FOV (23°)
- Tethered to controller
- Basic processing power
- Limited AR features
- No positional tracking
- Dated Android version
Technical Specifications Summary
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | Dual Si-OLED, 720p HD |
| FOV | 23° diagonal |
| Contrast | 100,000:1 |
| Processor | Intel Atom X5 (quad-core) |
| Memory | 2GB RAM, 16GB storage |
| Camera | 5MP front-facing |
| Battery | ~6 hours |
| Weight | 69g (glasses only) |
| OS | Android 5.1 |
| Price | $699 / $999 |