Amazon announced on Wednesday that it’s developing AI-powered smart glasses for its delivery drivers. The idea behind the glasses is to give delivery drivers a hands-free experience that reduces the need to keep looking between their phone, the package they’re delivering, and their surroundings.
The e-commerce giant says the glasses will allow delivery drivers to scan packages, follow turn-by-turn walking directions, and capture proof of delivery, all without using their phones. The glasses use AI-powered sensing capabilities and computer vision alongside cameras to create a display that includes things like hazards and delivery tasks.
Amazon likely hopes that the new glasses will shave time off of each delivery by providing delivery drivers with detailed directions and information about hazards directly in their line of sight.
When a driver parks at a delivery location, Amazon says the glasses automatically activate. The glasses help the driver locate the package inside the vehicle and then navigate to the delivery address. The glasses can provide easy-to-follow directions in places like multi-unit apartment complexes and business locations.
The glasses are paired with a controller worn in the delivery vest that contains operational controls, a swappable battery, and a dedicated emergency button.
Amazon notes that the glasses also support prescription lenses and transitional lenses that automatically adjust to light.
The retailer is currently trialing the glasses with delivery drivers in North America and plans to refine the technology before a wider rollout.
The announcement doesn’t come as a surprise, as Reuters reported last year that Amazon was working on the smart glasses.
In the future, Amazon says the glasses will be able to provide drivers with “real-time defect detection” that could notify them if they accidentally drop off a package at the wrong address. The glasses will also be able to detect pets in yards and automatically adjust to hazards like low light conditions.
Also on Wednesday, Amazon unveiled a new robotic arm called “Blue Jay” that can work alongside warehouse employees to pick items off shelves and sort them. Additionally, the tech giant announced a new AI tool called Eluna that will help provide operational insights at Amazon warehouses.
