Amazon to release smart glasses powered by Alexa voice assistant

The logo of Amazon is seen at the company logistics center in Lauwin-Planque, northern France, February 20, 2017.REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

Amazon is taking things to a whole new level. The tech giant, founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, is said to be developing a pair of smart glasses powered by the Alexa voice assistant.

The exciting news came to light when a source told Financial Times that Amazon is currently working on two new products that will be powered by its popular intelligent personal assistant, Alexa.

The first product is said to be a pair of smart glasses, which enables Alexa to be summoned anywhere. It will also be built on bone-conduction technology. This means that any vocal content that is received by the wearer is nearly inaudible to outsiders.

Unlike other smart glasses, the tech giant is reportedly ditching the screen and camera. Instead, it would focus more on voice-activated commands such as making to-do lists, setting alarms, playing audiobooks, streaming podcasts and other real-time information.

To turn these promising plans into reality, Amazon has reportedly enlisted the help of Babak Parviz who is credited with creating Google Glass. Several other Glass researchers, designers, and engineers have also moved to the company's laboratory.

"Amazon's secretive Lab 126 product development team has been given the task of studying the smart-home market to see what other devices might make sense for the company to build," the Financial Times report read. "Launching a pair of smart glasses, however, is an unexpected and riskier move, given the category is almost entirely unproven among consumers."

Besides the smart glasses, the tech giant is also developing a home security camera system. The planned smart camera will reportedly be equipped with internet technology and is compatible with Echo smart speakers.

Amazon has yet to comment publicly on the matter, but multiple reports are already claiming that the two Alexa-powered products will hit store shelves anytime this year.