Thanks to an Indian innovator from Kochi, you may now be able to experience the magic of Google Glass for just Rs 4500. Arvind Sanjeev, 23, has created a replica of the augmented reality goggles Google Glass, which has a selling price of $1500 in USA.

Named as ‘Smart Cap’, this device has been created using open source hardware platform: Rasberry Pi and commonly available hardware which anyone can order online. Android is the operating system which will guide this device. Using a headphone, the device can accept human commands, which can be used to navigate Google search, access maps and find a person based on his image.

Components Used

Arvind has used: USB webcam, a Raspberry Pi board, an LCD panel, aspheric lens, headphones, sun board sheet and glue. It includes a 2.5 inch LCD screen, which is mounted on the cap. Arduino board provides the required infrastructure of the device.

Using such simple and easily available components, Arvind has been able to replicate the functionality of a device which took Google over a year to develop.

How it was made?

Being a DIY blogger, Arvind has detailed each and every step of his creation, right from cutting out the right size of cardboard to hacking the USB webcam and setting up voice recognition software. You can find the detailed steps on his blog here.

He has also created a video explaining this unique creation, made on shoestring budget here:

Commercial exploits?

As with every open source platform, this device is open and free to all to experiment and execute even better devices. If Arvind had any intensions of making money from this device, then he would have patented the idea or kept it secret. But as he has openly explained how he made it, he wants the community of open source developers and inventors to take this forward.

Arvind didn’t even know the components of a calculator before he joined engineering college. But as he was not able to get any substantial knowledge about hardware and it’s functioning, he decided to start his own DIY projects, and shared them on his blog.

From commercial perspective, we are not sure if the device in it’s current avatar stands any chance (Yeah, a lot needs to be done on the aesthetics side), but who knows, being open source, there is always a chance that a designer could come up with something that looks awesome!

Right now, Arvind Sanjeev is managing his startup: ARS Devices create devices for automation, connected devices and safety appliances.

Can this device used as a platform to create a more ‘user friendly’ and commercially viable product, which can compete Google glass?