It's not enough to just look at what's in front of you these days, technologies now allow us to identify and learn more about what we see. Unistellar brought such capabilities to telescopesand is now doing the same for binoculars with the launch of Envision.
For this project, Unistellar partnered with Nikon for high-end optics, which offer x10 magnification and a diameter of 50 mm. The company also added something called the Augmented Reality Precision Wayfinding System.
This technology overlays contextual information on the right eyepiece, augmenting the user's natural field of view with useful information about what is seen through the optical system. The company claims that “for the vast majority of users, the brain naturally merges the two views into one. field.”
This is similar to what Swarovski Optik did by marrying the Merlin Bird ID app with its Vision AX smart binoculars earlier in the year. But Unistellar's companion app goes beyond birds and wildlife, with more than a million hills, mountains and peaks as well as hundreds of thousands of trails, shelters, caves, sources, etc. A thousand astronomical targets are also offered as well as 200,000 stars.
Unistellar
The intelligent system has four exploration modes. During the day, users can overlay a 3D map with points of interest, trails, water sources and other points of interest via Smart Scouting mode. Inertial measurement units combine with the GPS location of the Bluetooth-paired handset to generate precise positioning information, and real-time altitude and azimuth data are also available on the AR-enhanced view. Once night falls, the twins can harness Unistellar's cosmic prowess and learn more about what sparkles in the night sky.
A guided navigation mode does pretty much what you think during the day, but the app suggests celestial objects of interest at night. A third mode allows a user to lock on to a distant object – “whether it’s a camouflaged animal or a distant star” – and pass the Envision binoculars to a friend, who will be guided to the locked target to share the discovery. And finally, Classic Optical Mode disables AR technology for more traditional, unenhanced usage scenarios.
Unistellar says users can expect up to five hours of continuous AR-assisted use on a single charge of the built-in battery, or up to 1,000 engagements with binoculars. But if your specs checklist includes things like image stabilization, night vision, and a built-in camera, you won't find them here.
Unistellar
“We are excited to unveil the Envision smart binoculars, demonstrating our commitment to innovation in exploration,” said Laurent Marfisi, co-founder and CEO of the company. “Enthusiasm continues to grow within the global community of explorers and technology enthusiasts. From amateur astronomers to outdoor adventurers, Envision will allow these users to discover and interact with their surroundings in ways never thought possible.
Unistellar was launched on Kickstarter to interact with potential users and finance production. Super Early Bird pledge tiers are available for US$599, representing a 50% savings off the expected retail price. The usual crowdfunding precautions apply, but if all goes as planned with the rest of the campaign, the first Envision binoculars should ship starting in November 2025. There's more in the video below.
Presentation of ENVISION
Source: Unistellar
