Sony has announced a possible competitor to Google Glass, essentially a module that clips onto eyewear to make them smart. The company’s lightweight, single-lens display module attaches to glasses, sunglasses, goggles, or other eyewear to add a color OLED micro-display and connected camera. The module weighs a mere 40g and can be removed when not in use. Sony is expected to showcase a prototype at the 2015 CES in Las Vegas next month under the name “SmartEyeglass Attach.”

The 0.23-inch OLED micro-display features 640 x 400 resolution.

“Sony is envisaging the module attaching to various sports use-cases, such as golf, cycling, running or tennis, and also sees potential in the enterprise market — such as being linked to a factory’s internal infrastructure system to deliver hands-free instruction to workers,” reports TechCrunch.

“Sony also says it sees potential for the module to be paired with an action camera to allow the wearer to view remote display or check the angle of view of a captured image from a distance, via their eyewear.”

Cost of the Sony module will be a key factor in regards to consumer adoption. One reason that Google Glass has failed to gain traction likely involves its high price tag.

Another hesitation by mainstream consumers to donning Google Glass could involve its general look. This could give Sony a leg up, considering its module can be detached from glasses when not being used.

According to the press release, Sony plans to launch mass production of the display module within the coming year. It also will make SDKs available to partnering organizations.

Related Stories:
These Ordinary-Looking Glasses Just May Be the Future of Smart Eyewear, Digital Trends, 12/18/14
How Sony Hopes to Make Any Glasses Smart, Digital Trends, 12/18/14
Snapchat Paid $15M for Vergence Labs, a Google Glass-Like Startup, VentureBeat, 12/16/14