> Something like a HUD would be great but people don't want cameras pointing at them all the time.
I really wanted this maybe 5-10 years ago, but personally I've reached a point in my life where I feel "less is more" regarding tech. Enough things want to send me notifications that I know it would be as worthless as my email feed, or my phone notifications feed, or my facebook feed, or any of the other feeds out there that have become sources of noise.
Notifications are not the important case for the HUD.
Other things are. Maps which track your location and show you the way overlaid on the streets and roads you see. Books and manuals which you don't need to hold in your hands. Video instructions that track your hands and correct their position. Finding stuff in a warehouse or in your closet by pointing at it right in your FOV. Heart rate monitor, etc right before your eyes when you are performing your hardest and can't lift your smartwatch to your eyes.
Many good uses with broad markets. Sadly, it's technically too difficult, so it's too expensive for non-professional use.
I'll try to argue that most of these don't benefit much from a wearable HUD.
Maps and navigation seem to be good enough when they are handheld or mounted on a vehicle. When you are on foot you're moving slowly so no need to have it always visible. Yes, there's a special case of you're on foot and carrying two heavy bags in both hands, in an unfamiliar place outdoors, and cannot stop, and do not speak local language. Voice navigation should still suffice.
Video instructions. Some of them have to be seen in advance to be able to plan your actions and logistics (e.g. cooking). Some of them teach skills which should be watched multiple times and/or tried multiple times to achieve mastery (e.g. sports and dancing techniques). What kind of instructional video benefits from being seen while doing, in real time? Even origami howtos are usually back and forth, until you _understand_ what you're doing.
Not holding books in your hands. I admit I wanted it on several occasions. My concern is usability. Is it easy to read four hours from a semitransparent surface, is it easy to focus on HUD projections continuously.
Finding stuff in the closet. This is so sci-fi. We'll see level 5 autonomous driving first.
Heart rate (blood sugar, any other vital) monitor. Basically, it's a solved problem and a feature available commercially. You don't need to see heart rate continuously to be warned about an anomaly. Sound alarm works just as well if not better.
I really wanted this maybe 5-10 years ago, but personally I've reached a point in my life where I feel "less is more" regarding tech. Enough things want to send me notifications that I know it would be as worthless as my email feed, or my phone notifications feed, or my facebook feed, or any of the other feeds out there that have become sources of noise.