We already saw a couple of scan results, but some scans were still in the oven by the end of the workshop. Find all the results and presentations here:
Important: Please do not redistribute the scans by CopterTec. Thank you.
Photo documentation
During the event I made a couple of photos. Find the full gallery on Google Photos →. You can use them for whatever you like 🙂 They are under Creative Commons BY SA licence
What comes next:
But wait, there is more what Spatial Realities offers! Check out these events:
Be part of the biggest AI Hackathon in NRW and connect with engineers and product leads actually building what could be the next interfaces, apps and business models.
Hey hackers,
Thomas here. In case you didn’t know: In 2024 and 2025, two amazing hackathons sponsored by Meta took place right before gamescom in Cologne, Germany (check out the YouTube Recap → 2025!).
Originally, the plan was to host this every year. While there won’t be a hackathon right before gamescom this year, bear with me , I’ve got some great news:
There will be an XR meetup on Wednesday during gamescom.
There will be a hackathon just one week after gamescom.
Trust me, you don’t want to miss it! 🚀
What this is about
What if … your AI agent had eyes and ears, stayed with you at all times, and delivered intelligent, contextual responses without you ever needing to pull out your phone?
Welcome to the era of Ambient and Contextual AI, driven by Spatial Computing. As Smart Glasses, AR Glasses, and AI Wearables rapidly emerge, they raise pivotal questions:
Will they eventually replace the smartphone?
What will the user interfaces of the future look like?
And which new business models will these technologies unlock?
Accept the Contextual AI Challenge and shape the next generation of computing!
Hi, here is your overview of upcoming XR events. While there are no events scheduled for this coming week, we already have 1 events taking place across 1 cities the week after.
THE NEWSLETTER FOR XR, SMART & AI GLASSES, AR, VR AND THE METAVERSE SINCE 2021
Hey,
Thomas here. I am a tech journalist from Cologne, Germany, and I have been wearing Meta Ray-Bans ever since the release of what we now know as the Ray-Ban Meta Gen1.
What came as a surprise to most people working in XR was that these smiled-upon face-furnitures with some built-in electronics would actually become popular. While the Ray-Ban Stories failed to gain any traction two years earlier, the AI-infused wearable hit a nerve.
Two-plus years later, something like 15 million devices might have been sold, and all major tech companies are either about to release their own smart glasses soon or are planning to do so in the near future. About 75+ different models are already available globally. The technology has almost become a commodity.
What Meta did was create a new device category that actually seems to work. And they did it with a trick: partnering with an already established designer eyewear brand.
That seemed to be the blueprint: Smart Technology + designer brand = Success.
Now, that assumption is being challenged by its own creator: Meta just announced „Meta Glasses“, its own „store brand.“ And although they don’t have „Ray-Ban“ written on them, they still look sexy!
But, Houston, we have a problem: Where the beautiful, handwritten Ray-Ban logo used to be, now sits the Meta infinity loop.
In Europe, and I guess especially here in Germany, that logo leaves a bitter mark (pun intended).
The first spas and public baths are already starting to ban smart glasses due to some amateur creeps filming people, especially women. Some even think it’s a good idea to try and pick up women, film it, and analyze the footage on social media.
Media outlets love those click-generating stories, for sure. Women’s rights advocates love-hate those stories, too. And non-creepy people who just enjoy wearing a smart wearable hate-hate them because it makes them look like idiots.
In our latest episode of Spatial Realities, Thomas Bedenk and I talk about all of this. Not so much about the specs, which are becoming more and more irrelevant for this kind of eyewear.
Will people wear glasses with a Meta logo on them? Was Meta forced to go cheaper because the trajectory was already showing signs of slowing down? And what role does EssilorLuxottica play in all of this?
What we haven’t been able to talk about yet: Is all of this maybe irrelevant because Meta lacks a powerful ecosystem of devices and services like Google, Samsung, and Apple?
We keep you covered, here at Spatial Realities.
E132 – Meta goes Store Brand: Introducing Meta Glasses
„Meta Launches Cheaper Smart Glasses Without Ray-Ban Branding„
This article reports on Meta’s launch of a more affordable version of its smart glasses without the Ray-Ban branding, outlining the key design changes, price points, and feature trade-offs readers can expect from the new device. UploadVR.com / also: Auganix.org
„We’re Partnering With EssilorLuxottica to Launch Meta Glasses„
Meta’s release of the new „Starfire“ smart glasses—a fashion-forward collaboration with Kylie Jenner—is detailed in this coverage, which covers the hardware’s unique design features, pricing tiers, and how Meta is strategically using this launch to beat Google’s upcoming competitive eyewear to market. UploadVR.com
„Why Meta’s Kylie Jenner Partnership Could Be a Turning Point for Women in Wearable AI“
In this analysis, author Julie Smithson explores how Meta’s partnership with Kylie Jenner could mark a turning point for women in wearable AI, diving into how the collaboration bridges the gap between high tech and mass-market female fashion. XRWomen.com
„Reasons why I wouldn’t have picked Kylie Jenner to collaborate on the new Meta glasses„
Lauren Hill argues on linkedin.com that the collab makes no sense as Kylie Jenner fans are not the usual smart devices consumers. That’s seem to be a valid argument. But: I guess that’s actually why it has been done.
„Meta Now Sells A Charging Stand For (Most Of) Its Smart Glasses„
The introduction of a new official charging stand for Meta’s smart glasses is explored in this piece, detailing its design, price point, and how it aims to provide a more convenient alternative to the standard charging case. UploadVR.com
„So erkennst du Smart Glasses im Schwimmbad„
Die rechtlichen und datenschutzrechtlichen Herausforderungen beim Tragen von Smart Glasses in deutschen Schwimmbädern und Saunen werden in diesem Beitrag beleuchtet, indem die bestehenden Hausordnungen, die Verletzung von Persönlichkeitsrechten durch heimliche Aufnahmen und praktische Tipps für Betreiber zur Durchsetzung von Verboten verständlich erklärt werden. WDR.de
„Meta Is Giving Free Smart Glasses To Every Blind US Veteran„
Through its new initiative to distribute free smart glasses to every blind US veteran, Meta’s philanthropic partnership and the assistive technology benefits for visually impaired former service members are examined in this report. UploadVR.com
All XR events at a glance!
Do you already know our XR calendar? Find all the XR events at one spot, configure your view and export it into your own calendar. You can also receive a weekly summary.
SIGGRAPH 2026 – July 19 Galaxy Unpacked – July 22 LEXRA Summit 2026 – August 03 next.app devcon – October 07 nextReality.festival 2026 – November 18+19
„Meta-Partner EssilorLuxottica stärkt Eigenständigkeit mit neuer Partnerschaft | heise online„
EssilorLuxottica und Applied Materials kooperieren zur Entwicklung von optischen Systemen für Smart Glasses und AR-Brillen, was die technologische Eigenständigkeit des Brillenkonzerns stärkt. heise.de
More Glasses News
„Exclusive: Here’s Your First Look at the Galaxy Glasses Manager App„
In this exclusive first look, author Vineet Washington breaks down a major leak of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Glasses companion app, revealing the setup process, a „One UI XR“ platform, and deep ecosystem features like gesture controls via the Galaxy Ring. SammyGuru.com
„Lumus’s new waveguides enable 70° FOV thin glasses„
„Keine Cloud, kein Smartphone: Diese Smart Glasses laufen autark„
Das Startup Raven Resonance präsentiert die Smart Glasses ‚Raven Prism‘, die unabhängig von einem gekoppelten Smartphone funktionieren und auf Basis eines Linux-Betriebssystems sowie einem austauschbaren Akku betrieben werden, wobei Datenschutz und lokale Datenverarbeitung betont werden. heise.de
„VITURE’s Enterprise Expansion: Hands on with Helix – AR Insider„
Das Projekt überwindet die Wahrnehmungslücke von Smart Glasses, indem es die Ästhetik traditioneller koreanischer Accessoires nutzt und das Produkt als modisches Objekt statt bloßer Technologie neu definiert. way-to-heaven.com
„Überwachung in China: Wie neue KI-Brillen das Sozialkreditsystem füttern | Telepolis„
In China wird in Metropolen wie Tianjin bereits im Alltag der Einsatz von KI-gestützten Smart Glasses durch die Polizei betrieben, welche Gesichter in Echtzeit scannen und mit Datenbanken abgleichen, was das Sozialkreditsystem nährt. telepolis.de
„At AWE 2026, Spatial Computing Grows Up And AI Is Now The Story„
„Apple Vision Pro & Smart Glasses Exec Reportedly Leaves for OpenAI Hardware Team„
Ein leitender Hardware-Mitarbeiter von Apple, der für Vision Pro und Smart Glasses zuständig war, wird Berichten zufolge zu OpenAI wechseln, wo er an deren zukünftigen KI-Geräten arbeiten soll. roadtovr.com
Also: Check out the new Neuromancer series teaser!
DER NEWSLETTER FÜR XR, SMART & AI GLASSES, AR, VR UND DAS METAVERSE SEIT 2021
Gast aus München: Clarence Dadson in da Studio!
E131 – Qualcomms nächster XR SoC, Xreal Aura und Clarence Dadson über Gaussian Splatting und Scanning
Zum Interview haben wir Clarence Dadson geladen. Der Geschäftsführer von Design4Real und Vorstandsvorsitzender des Extended Reality Bavaria e.V. beschäftigt sich seit Aufkommen des Hypes mit Gaussian Splatting.
Gaussian Splatting sorgt gerade durch seine Technik für Aufbruchstimmung in der Scanning-Landschaft. Durch winkelabhängige Ellipsoide wird ein beispielloser Fotorealismus inklusive komplexer Reflexionen und transparentem Glas möglich, der zuvor sehr viel mehr Zeit in Anspruch genommen hätte oder gar nicht möglich gewesen wäre. Die Erfassung per Kamera oder Scanner ist damit äußerst zugänglich geworden. Ein Vorteil gegenüber der traditionellen Fotogrammetrie. Diese Technik eignet sich ideal für detailreiche, statische Objekte wie Fahrräder, Immobilienpräsentation oder fotorealistische VR-Trainingskulissen.
Ganz frei von technischen Hürden ist Gaussian Splating allerdings noch nicht: Die riesigen Datenmengen erfordern enorm leistungsstarke Hardware mit viel Grafikspeicher, und die Software-Integration in gängige Engines wie Unity oder Unreal ist noch sehr rudimentär. Zudem fehlt die nachträgliche Editierbarkeit, da die Scans als untrennbarer Block ohne separate Materialien exportiert werden. Am Ende bleibt es eine kreative Tätigkeit: Wie führe ich den Scanner so, dass ich die Ergebnisse bekomme, die ich haben will?
Das Zukunftspotenzial ist riesig, denn Unternehmen wie Gracia AI streamen bereits erfolgreich animierte 4D-Splats, indem sie durch clevere Delta-Kompression die Datenraten drastisch reduzieren.
Außerdem sprechen Thomas, Clarence und Thomas über Qualcomms neusten Chip und über die Xreal Aura.
Hi, here is your overview of upcoming XR events. This coming week, there are 3 events taking place across 1 cities. The week after, there are no events scheduled yet.
THE NEWSLETTER FOR XR, SMART & AI GLASSES, AR, VR AND THE METAVERSE SINCE 2021
Are these the Glasses we all have been waiting for?
The New Snap Specs: Premium consumer design AR in 132 Grams of Plastic Titanium
And here they are! In this special episode of Spatial Realities we dive into the highly anticipated reveal of the new Snap Specs at the AWE 2026 conference.
We, Thomas Bedenk and me, take a close look at the hardware of this new AR device, exploring how its weight, display technology, and pricing compare to previous generations and competitors on the market. We also discuss the newly introduced AI-driven Lens Studio tools and what they mean for the developer ecosystem.
➡️ Join us as we evaluate the real-world implications of its battery life, discuss the availability of compelling consumer use cases, and analyze Snap’s privacy concepts.
➡️ Tune in to hear our views on whether these glasses are poised to become finally a mainstream success we all have been waiting for.
DER DEUTSCHE NEWSLETTER FÜR XR, SMART & KI GLASSES, AR, VR UND DAS METAVERSE SEIT 2021
Auf Discord → kam neulich die Frage auf: Können wir in NRW nicht auch so einen coolen Workshop zum Thema Gaussian Splatting und 3D-Scanning machen wie die Hamburger? Ja, können wir. 😉
Hier folgt die Einladung zu unserem eigenen „Splats und Scanning-Workshop“.
Herzliche Einladung zum Workshop: Gaussian Splatting & 3D Scanning mit Clarence Dadson, Shen Qi und Johannes Müller.
Einführung in die Basics von 3D-Scanning & Gaussian Splatting
Vorstellung der Hardware & Workflows
Hands-on Scanning in der Umgebung mit XGRIDS PortalCam und Lixel K2 Scannern
Verarbeitung & erste Visualisierung der Ergebnisse
Aktuelle Gaussian Splatting Workflows
Verarbeitung und Optimierung für Echtzeit-, Web- und XR-Anwendungen
offener Austausch mit Entwickler:innen und XR-Spezialist:innen
Das Hardware-Highlight: Es wird mit mehreren professionellen Scanning-Systemen gearbeitet: Die PortalCam von XGRIDS ist speziell auf hohe visuelle Qualität in Gaussian Splatting Workflows ausgelegt.
Wer sich für aktuelle 3D-Scanning-Workflows, Gaussian Splatting und deren praktischen XR-Einsatz interessiert, sollte sich anmelden!
