How We Did It: Snapchat-Enabled Safety Goggles
A few weeks ago, while I was in our workshop, I had an idea: If I could modify Snapchat’s Spectacles into a pair of safety goggles, I could document our projects without ever picking up a camera.
The purpose for these hybrid safety specs is threefold: I can post images of our projects or build steps to my Snapchat account, save the videos for internal documentation, and also create more structured build logs.
I’ve been using them for the past week; they're super fun. Here’s how you can modify your own pair:
- Buy the Snapchat Spectacles directly through their website.
- Get some $29 clear replacement lenses for the tinted ones that come with the Spectacles. I bought mine from GlassesUSA. If you require a prescription, you can have them made with prescription lenses for the same price!
- Get some protective side shields.
- Modify the side shields to fit the glasses. This means you will need to cut the tops and center-front part off of them like so:
You can now use the supplied O-ring to attach the shields to the Snapchat Spectacles. They should now look like this:
The Snapchat app makes it really easy to edit 10-second Snaps into a build story. I even made this display rack to show them off:
Check out this video (recorded using the Spectacles!) that shows how I made the display rack:
Dave started at IDEO in 2005 with a background in electrical engineering and design. At IDEO, he likes to focus on pairing appropriate technology with user needs and designing the experiences around them.