Smart Glasses Detector: Are you also afraid that there might be someone nearby who is recording your video wearing smart glasses? Now there is news of relief for Android users. Yves Jeanrenaud, deputy professor at Germany’s Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, has developed a special app, which helps in detecting smart glasses present nearby.

What is “Nearby Glasses’ app?

Jeanrenaud wrote “Nearby Glasses” Android app named has been launched. The app scans Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals and identifies devices that have a specific company identification code, like Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses.

“This app notifies you when smart glasses are nearby,” he wrote on his GitHub page. And further explained, “It uses the Bluetooth data sent by these (identifiers) to the company (devices).”

How does it work?

“Bluetooth devices broadcast small advertising packets,”’ Jeanrenaud explained in a LinkedIn post. And even though the MAC address and service UUID keep changing, the company ID is permanent. The app scans these identification signals and alerts the user.

However, they also cautioned that it may sometimes recognize other Bluetooth devices, such as Meta’s VR headset. So he said, “So, when you approach someone wearing glasses, be careful.”

Controversy and legal threats

Controversies regarding smart glasses have increased in recent months. In December, a woman reportedly broke a TikToker’s Meta AI Glasses in the New York subway. The incident went viral and reignited social discomfort around non-consensual recording.

A Meta spokesperson clarified, “Unlike smartphones, our glasses have an LED light that activates when someone captures content, so it’s clear that the device is recording.” He also said that it is mandatory for users to follow the law. But Jeanrenaud claimed that the LED lights can be easily turned off and that many people do not recognize that the smart glasses are recording devices.

What does the law say?

Although video recording in public is generally legal, audio recording, face recognition or biometric data collection may increase legal risks. Purdue Global Law School recently said, “Smart glasses increasingly collect biometric data, and that’s where they become a problem.” A judge in California recently reprimanded members of Mark Zuckerberg’s team for wearing Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses in court.

Does this app provide complete security?

Jeanrenaud clarified, “It’s not a perfect solution, but I hope it will be useful to someone.” He believes that unless consent and privacy are taken seriously in wearable tech, such tools will definitely give people a little sense of security.