Unistellar Envision Smart Binoculars Identify Mountains and Stars It is not every day you get to test a completely new type of tech. I recently had the chance to try the Envision smart binoculars from telescope company Unistellar. These are the first smart binoculars that can identify mountains and stars. The only similar product is from Swarovski, but those are triple the price and only for birds and wildlife. I tested a prototype near Marseilles. The design and most functions were close to the final product, which the company successfully funded on Kickstarter. Some features were rough and using them smoothly took practice. But they represent a fascinating blend of analog and digital tech that should appeal to astronomers and travelers. The Envision project started when Unistellar engineers wondered why no one had made binoculars with an augmented reality-like digital overlay. They discovered it was a major engineering challenge. Merging data into an overlay and aligning it with the optical view was difficult, as was reducing latency so the digital display would not lag. The solution came from AR technology. Envision combines premium lenses with an AR projection system that beams contextual information into the optical path using a bright microdisplay. The overlay appears in only one eye, but your brain blends it into a complete image. The binoculars use data from inertial sensors and a compass with custom software to ensure the digital display is positioned accurately. They pull topographic and cartographic data from a large database, creating an AR overlay based on your location and viewing direction. This uses your phones internet, but you can also preload regions for offline use. My test unit was a hand-built prototype, so it lacked final manufacturing quality control. The materials, optics, and electronics were nearly complete. For daytime testing, I went to the Citadelle de Forcalcquier, which offers panoramic mountain views. Despite overcast weather, peaks up to 30 miles away were visible. The Envision binoculars are a bit heavier than standard ones but comfortable to hold thanks to a rubberized coating. You set them up like any binoculars, with a diopter adjustment for your vision, retractable eyecups for glasses, a width adjustment, and a focus wheel. A rocker control on the left side activates the AR overlay, which shows monochrome red graphics. Buttons let you switch between targets and select them. A target lock button locks onto a target. If you pass the binoculars to someone else, arrows guide them to the same object. You can also press and hold this button to realign the overlay if it drifts. As regular binoculars, they provided a clear view. Switching on the AR, I saw a red outline matching the mountain topography, with peak names, elevations, and distances displayed. The overlay was slightly misaligned, but the target lock fixed it. Latency was noticeable if I moved the binoculars too fast, and the overlay would drift, requiring occasional realignment. Unistellar says this will improve in the final version. Currently, Envision identifies mountain peaks, valleys, and ranges. Future updates will add water springs, shelters, hiking paths, rivers, and lakes. A companion app will provide updates and let users select points of interest and access guided tours, though these were not available on my prototype. For the night test, I used the Night mode by the hotel pool under a suddenly clear sky. The experience was transformational. The AR overlay instantly displayed star names and constellation lines. It pointed out the faint constellation Lynx and its star Alsciaukat. The final version will also show nebulae, galaxies, planets, comets, and human-made objects like the ISS. This makes Envision a powerful educational tool. Locking onto a star and handing the binoculars to another person lets them quickly find it by following arrows. It is a fast way to learn the night sky. It is also useful for astronomers to locate targets for more powerful telescopes. I used it to find a star cluster, then entered its name into Unistellars Odyssey Pro smart telescope for a closer look. The final version will also let you enter a star name in the app and be guided to it by the binoculars. There are some issues. If you already find binoculars tricky to use, these may not help. The AR display can be hard to read, and adjusting brightness, especially at night, is challenging. A notable missing feature is a built-in camera, unlike the Swarovski binoculars. You cannot easily share your view on social media unless you take a photo with your phone through the eyepiece, which often requires a tripod. Despite this, Unistellars first attempt at smart binoculars is a success. They add an informational layer to a true optical view, finally modernizing a centuries-old tool. Like any early product, it will likely improve in future versions. While phone apps can identify stars and geography, there is something special about looking through a lens at a real image. With Envision, you will finally know exactly what you are looking at. Unistellar is opening pre-orders for the Envision smart binoculars starting today at 999 dollars, a significant discount from the final 1,499 dollar retail price. Deliveries are set for October 2026. Retail availability is planned for 2027.
