This post is part of our new Disruption by AR series where we interview the leading founders and executives who are leveraging big data analytics to reshape the future of their industry.

An interview with Harrison Gross, co-founder of Lucyd.

1. What problem does Lucyd solve?

HG: The AR revolution is being held back because no one has developed smartglasses that are ergonomic, practical, discreet and comfortable for all-day wear.

2. What is your solution to the problem?

HG: Lucyd has exclusively licensed 13 innovative AR optics patents, and assembled a team of global leaders in optics, AR and ergonomics to build the first lightweight, prescription-ready smartglasses with a wide field of view. Lucyd Lens will, look and feel like regular eyeglasses, and we’re also developing a decentralized app store that will make it very easy to create, share and experience AR apps and media. Our beta of 500 pairs is expected to launch in about a year.

3. What are the top three tech trends you're seeing in AR?

#Tech Trend 1: We believe that AR will become more widely adopted once a smartglass can fit the form of standard spectacles. Eyeglasses were first introduced in 1290, in Pisa, Italy. For more than 700 years, people have embraced the current eyeglass design motif to correct their vision and as a fashion accessory. Due to its nature as a facial wearable, smartglasses need to be lightweight and highly customizable, both features that Lucyd technology enables.

#Tech Trend 2: Increasing enhanced field of view (EFV), the AR-supported scope, to be able to support all or most of the user’s natural visual field. For smartglasses to go mainstream, first and foremost, they must be good glasses available in a wide variety of frame styles. Smartglasses are not a traditional consumer electronics product like a wearable exercise monitor or a smartwatch, but rather an evolutionary leap in current eyeglasses. This is necessary for intelligent positioning of real and virtual objects in the visual field.

#Tech Trend 3: Hands free control of smartglasses with microphones and bone conducting speakers to leverage artificial intelligence tools like Siri, Google Voice and Alexa.

4. What's the future of AR?

Prediction #1: Lightweight, prescription-ready smartglasses, available in a wide variety of frame styles, with HD solid-seeming interface engaged at will.

Prediction #2: To reduce cost and provide manufacturing design flexibility, 3D printing of lenses with the electro-optics necessary for AR.

Prediction #3: Initially, smartglasses will of necessity be a Bluetooth peripheral to the smartphone. However, smartglasses will eventually incorporate all of the capabilities of smartphones for a truly handsfree mobile computing experience.

5. What made Lucyd decide to do an ICO instead of more traditional funding routes?