Apple’s rumored smart glasses could have ‘non-contact respiration sensing’

Apple’s rumored smart glasses (rumored to be called “Apple Glasses”) could have “Non-Contact Respiration Sensing” features, according to a new patent filing

About ‘Apple Glasses’

In an X post, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple will release its own “smart glasses” in 2027. These will have a design more like traditional eyewear than the Apple Vision Pro.

Kuo says Apple will ship 3-5 million units or more of the device. He says core features will include audio playback, camera, video recording, and AI environmental sensing. Kue also thinks that Apple will offer multiple material options for frames and temples, with Apple actively testing 3D printing technology for production.

About the patent filing

The patent filing relates to non-contact respiration sensing, and in particular to non-contact respiration sensing using interferometric sensors in smart glasses. In the patent filing Apple notes that wearable devices such as smart watches, smart eyewear, virtual and/or augmented reality headsets, and the like, may include various sensors, which may sense physical phenomena such as movement, environmental conditions, and biometric data about a user. 

The data from sensors in a wearable device may be used to provide valuable information to a user, such as information about the activity and/or health of the user. Additional sensors in wearable devices may provide more robust information to a user and/or control or unlock additional applications of the wearable device. 

Apple says that given the wide range of applications for sensors in wearable devices, any new development in the configuration or operation of the sensors therein can be useful. New developments that may be particularly useful are developments that provide additional sensing capability while maintaining a small form factor, the tech giant adds. 

Summary of the patent filing

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “A head mounted device may include one or more interferometric sensors positioned and oriented in a housing to sense particle movement caused by respiration of a user. Interferometric signals from the one or more interferometric sensors may be used to determine respiration information about the user.”

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