Fresh App Alerts Users to Nearby Smart Glasses

A new Android application, Nearby Glasses, is now available to alert users when smart glasses, such as Meta’s Ray-Ban models, are in their vicinity. The app was developed by Yves Jeanrenaud, a deputy professor at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, in response to growing privacy concerns surrounding the discreet recording capabilities of these devices.

How Nearby Glasses Works

Nearby Glasses utilizes Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertising data to detect the presence of smart glasses. The app scans for specific manufacturer identifiers broadcast by the glasses. According to Jeanrenaud, while MAC addresses and service UUIDs can be randomized, manufacturer company IDs are mandatory and immutable in BLE advertising frames, allowing for reliable detection .

Concerns Driving Development

The development of Nearby Glasses was spurred by reports of smart glasses being used to record people without their consent. Examples include instances of individuals using the technology to film inside massage parlors and reports of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents wearing them on duty . Jeanrenaud describes the app as “a tiny part of resistance against surveillance tech” .

Potential for False Positives and Harassment

Jeanrenaud acknowledges the app may produce false positives, particularly from other Bluetooth devices manufactured by Meta, such as VR headsets . The app’s GitHub repository includes a warning against harassing individuals based on its detection .

Growing Market for Smart Glasses

The market for smart glasses is expanding rapidly. Meta, in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, sold over seven million Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses last year . Snap also sells Spectacles-branded glasses, and companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung are reportedly developing competing devices .

Future Concerns: Facial Recognition

Concerns are heightened by Meta’s development of a facial recognition feature called Name Tag, which would allow wearers to identify people and access information about them through Meta’s AI assistant .

Availability

Nearby Glasses is currently available on the Google Play Store and GitHub . An iOS version is in development .