A bright-eyed start-up is touting a pair of smart sunglasses that darken with the click of a button.
The tint on Ampere’s Dusk shades can be adjusted via a mobile app or by a discreet button on the temple.
An advanced model of the glasses has built-in speakers and microphone and can play tunes or take calls.
With nearly 700 backers, Ampere has already garnered $184,325 on IndieGogo, more than 1000 percent of its $15,000 goal.
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Ampere has launched an IndieGogo for Dusk, its smart sunglasses that change tint with the click of a button or via app
Most transitional sunglasses rely on photochromic lenses, which automatically adjust tint in response to brighter light.
Ampere’s sunglasses are made with electrochromic lenses, which darkens in response to an electronic signal, giving the user more precise control.
The polarized lenses reportedly block 100 percent of UVA/UVB rays, and can shift from a 35 percent light tint on an overcast day to a 3 percent darkest tint for the sunniest days.
The technology is becoming a more popular option for car windows and even building construction.
Dusk wearers can cycle through three pre-set tints by pressing a discreet button
Ampere claims the Dusk has seven days of power if used solely as sunglasses or four hours of continuous speaker play
In April, ‘smart glass’ maker Halio announced a partnership to offer electrochromic windows as an option on Clark Pacific’s prefabricated building envelope system.
Dusk’s simple black shades look like Ray-Ban Wayfarers, popularized in Risky Business, and only weigh an ounce.
To adjust the tine, the wearer can press a button on the temple that cycles through three phases.
Adjusting the tint on your Dusk via app gives the user more fine control, and favorite settings can be saved
The polarized lenses reportedly block 100 percent of UVA/UVB rays, and can shift from a 35 percent light tint on an overcast day to a 3 percent darkest tint for the sunniest days
For more precision there’s a Dusk app (not yet live) which can even save your favorite settings.
Either way, the change happens in under a second.
You can also set the glasses to automatically shift tint according to ambient light levels.
Customizable sunglasses may be enough of a draw, but Ampere also offers a pimped-out deluxe model with an open-ear audio system it promises allows users to listen to music without bothering others.
An integrated microphone also lets wearers make calls or give orders to Siri.
Ampere claims the Dusk has seven days of power if you only use them as sunglasses, or four hours of continuous speaker play.
The Dusk charging case has a spot for Apple’s AirTag in case you lose it
The charging case even has a spot for Apple’s AirTag in case you lose it.
With a water resistance rating of IP65, they can survive getting rained on but don’t jump in the pool with them.
Users can also set their Dusk sunglasses to automatically shift tint according to ambient light levels
Super early bird pledges start at $179 for ‘Dusk Lite’ or $249 for a Dusk with built in audio and microphone and voice assistance.
Shipping is expected to start in August, just in time for the dog days of summer.
