I visited the Canton Fair in Guangzhou this October and had the chance to try some new AR glasses and VR technology, as well as see demonstrations of AI and robotics.
The scale of the trip deserves a mention too. I walked over 100,000 steps and 75 km while I was there. There was a lot to take in!
Two things stood out to me across the technology I saw: more AI running locally, and AR/VR headsets moving more of their processing into a separate puck to make them lighter.
Trying the Xrany X1
Trying the Xrany X1 AR glasses, made by Xrany, was a standout. The hand tracking, comfort, lightness and visual fidelity all impressed me during the demo. That is the pair I am wearing in the photo from the visit.
Those are first impressions from using them at the fair. I would want more time with a device before deciding how it might fit a particular project, but it was good to get hands-on with this one.
More AI running locally
Local AI was one of the patterns I noticed at the fair. Alongside the robotics demonstrations and the AR and VR technology, it gave me another way to look at how AI is being put into physical products.
For a project, I would want to understand exactly what runs on the device and what still depends on something else. The useful questions are about the task it can do, the conditions it needs and whether it suits the people who will use it.
Taking weight off the headset
The separate processing pucks were the other pattern that caught my attention. Moving more of the processing away from the headset gives manufacturers another way to reduce what someone is wearing on their head.
The whole setup still matters. When considering a device for a project, I would want to look at how the headset and puck work together, what the person has to carry and how that affects the experience.
What stood out
The Xrany X1 demo, more local AI and the move towards lighter headsets were the things that stood out to me. There is more to explore in each of them. For now, getting hands-on with the technology gave me a useful starting point.
Thanks for reading. If you'd like to talk about technical delivery, AI adoption, XR or emerging technology, I'm always open to a conversation.
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