Brilliant Labs
Brilliant Labs is a Singapore-based private company that designs and sells open-source, on-device AI smart glasses (Halo at $349), targeting developers and privacy-conscious consumers with an embedded conversational AI agent called Noa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Brilliant Labs does
Brilliant Labs Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-incorporated private company, designs and sells open-source AI-powered smart glasses. Its current flagship product, Halo, launched at $349 (rising to $399 post-launch), integrates a microOLED display, dual bone conduction speakers, dual microphones, an ultra-low-power optical sensor, and the Alif B1 processor (Cortex-M55 CPU plus a dedicated Neural Processing Unit) to run AI workloads on-device rather than in the cloud. Embedded in the hardware is Noa, a conversational AI agent with long-term memory that processes voice, vision, and sensor inputs locally for context-aware interactions. The company sells directly to consumers and developers through its own e-commerce storefront at brilliant.xyz and historically built a developer ecosystem around earlier-generation products Monocle (2023) and Frame (2024).
Brilliant Labs monetizes primarily through hardware sales of Halo, complemented by a subscription tier (Noa Plus) that lifts daily usage caps on AI features. Distribution is direct-to-consumer globally, with prescription and sunglass lenses fulfilled through a partnership with SmartBuyGlasses. The GTM motion is product- and community-led: Brilliant Labs publishes hardware design files, firmware (ZephyrOS), and software through GitHub, hosts developer hackathons (including one with Niantic in August 2024), and cultivates a Discord community. The company positions itself against larger competitors (Meta Ray-Ban, Snap) on privacy grounds, capitalizing on regulatory scrutiny facing cloud-dependent always-on camera wearables.
The technology stack is assembled through strategic third-party partnerships: Alif Semiconductor co-develops the NPU-enabled silicon, Neuphonic supplies ultra-low-latency text-to-speech, and TheStage AI provides the inference engine. Brilliant Labs also integrates foundation models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Whisper, and Perplexity under data processing agreements. With 11–50 employees, no disclosed institutional funding rounds, and Halo shipping only as of late July, the company is at an early commercial stage; brand recognition is established via coverage in Forbes, Bloomberg, TechCrunch, The Verge, and IEEE Spectrum, but revenue, unit volume, and capitalization remain undisclosed in the available data.
Brilliant Labs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brilliant Labs
- Legal name
- Brilliant Labs Pte. Ltd.
- Website
- https://brilliant.xyz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Brilliant Labs is a Singapore-based private company that designs and sells open-source, on-device AI smart glasses (Halo at $349), targeting developers and privacy-conscious consumers with an embedded conversational AI agent called Noa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Brilliant Labs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wearable AI Smart Glasses
- NAICS
- Optical Goods Retailers (45613)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AR Smart Glasses (CRACAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wearable Computers (Industrial Smart Glasses/Wrist/Arm-Mount) (HDACALAH), Real-Time Vision at the Edge (on-device CV/video) (HDAAAJAE), Edge AI Hardware & NPUs (SoCs, modules, accelerators) (HDAAAJAC), AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ)
Keywords
Where Brilliant Labs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Brilliant Labs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Brilliant Labs generates revenue primarily through direct sales of AI smart glasses hardware. The Halo glasses are priced at $349 USD for early orders, with the price set to increase to $399 post-launch. The company sells directly through its e-commerce storefront, offering prescription and sunglass lens options through partner SmartBuyGlasses.
- Noa Plus Subscription: The company offers premium features including Noa Plus with daily usage caps. Subscription features are included free out of the box with daily usage caps, with paid tiers available for enhanced usage. Usage analytics are used to monitor service performance and detect fraudulent or abusive activity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Halo AI Smart Glasses - $349 USD (early access) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Noa Plus Premium Subscription |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Brilliant Labs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brilliant Labs designs, manufactures, and sells open-source AI-powered smart glasses (Halo) with on-device AI processing and the Noa conversational AI assistant. The glasses provide privacy-first multimodal AI experiences including real-time translation, contextual memory, and customizable mini-apps, sold direct-to-consumer via its e-commerce storefront and to developers who build on the platform via SDK and open-source repositories.
Product overview
Brilliant Labs offers an open-source AI smart glasses platform centered on Halo glasses and the Noa AI agent. Halo is the current flagship hardware product featuring on-device AI processing via Alif B1 processor, microOLED display, bone conduction speakers, and 14-hour battery life at $349. Noa serves as the embedded AI assistant providing private conversational interactions with long-term memory capabilities. The platform supports Miniapps for custom AI experiences and includes cross-platform mobile apps. The company previously produced Frame and Monocle AR devices, both of which established the open-source hardware and developer ecosystem. The product architecture emphasizes privacy-first edge computing with open-source hardware and software design.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Halo AI Smart Glasses Open-source AI smart glasses with a microOLED display, dual bone conduction speakers, on-device AI processing via Alif B1 processor, ultra low-power optical sensor, dual microphones, 6-axis IMU, Bluetooth 5.3, and 14-hour battery life. Ships at $349 (increasing to $399). Targeted at developers and privacy-conscious consumers.
- Noa AI Assistant Private conversational AI agent embedded in Halo smart glasses that handles real-time multimodal conversations about what the user sees, hears, or imagines. Noa processes voice, vision, and sensor data on-device, remembers what it saw, heard, and said to personalize interactions over time, and stores memory privately on encrypted servers without retaining rich media.
- Noa Plus Subscription Premium subscription tier for the Noa AI agent that provides enhanced usage beyond daily caps included free with Halo glasses. Used for monitoring service performance and detecting fraudulent or abusive activity.
- Frame AI Smart Glasses Previous-generation open-source AI smart glasses from Brilliant Labs that established the company's hardware platform and developer ecosystem. Featured a multimodal AI assistant and AR capabilities. Served as the foundation for the open-source hardware community before being succeeded by Halo.
- Monocle AR Device Pocket-sized AR eyepiece designed to be hacked and modified, targeting imaginative hackers and developers. Early open-source AR hardware platform from Brilliant Labs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 14-hour all-day battery life on Halo glasses
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Brilliant Labs
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Brilliant Labs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability10 records
Feature7 records
Brilliant Labs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Alif SemiconductorcoreStrategic partnership to co-develop silicon that will power Brilliant Labs' next-generation AI-powered Halo smart glasses. The glasses use Alif's Balletto B1 MCU featuring a dedicated Neural Processing Unit for on-device AI processing, enabling real-time translation and AI memory while extending battery life to up to 14 hours. The companies aim to develop custom technologies for next-generation smart glasses with reduced power consumption and enhanced privacy.
- NeuphoniccoreStrategic partnership to embed Neuphonic's ultra-low-latency text-to-speech models into Halo smart glasses. Neuphonic provides conversational AI voice processing that enables natural dialogue interactions with Noa, Brilliant Labs' AI assistant.
- TheStage AIcoreStrategic partnership to integrate TheStage AI's inference engine into Halo smart glasses. TheStage AI provides efficient processing with low battery drain, complementing the on-device AI architecture of the Halo platform.
- NianticflagshipCo-hosted hackathon with Niantic, the creators of Pokémon Go. Over 50 developers from across the country and around the world joined to build applications at the intersection of AI and AR on the Frame platform. This partnership was designed to foster community development and showcase the capabilities of Brilliant Labs' open-source platform.
- SmartBuyGlassesminorPartner for prescription and sunglass lens options. After purchasing Halo, customers receive a link to SmartBuyGlasses to purchase corrective lenses. The Halo display optic can also be adjusted between +2 and -6 Diopters for users who don't need prescription lenses.
Scale indicators1 record
Brilliant Labs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Apple (Vision Pro / future glasses): Apple's broader spatial computing platform (Vision Pro and rumored smart glasses) competes in the AI eyewear category. While Vision Pro is a heavier headset, Apple's resources, supply chain, and developer ecosystem represent the dominant incumbent threat to Brilliant Labs' vision.
- Google (Android XR / Glass): Google's Android XR partnerships with Samsung and ongoing Glass efforts make it a broad incumbent in smart glasses. Comparable as a hyperscaler entering AI eyewear with capital, OS control, and ecosystem partnerships that Brilliant Labs lacks.
Direct peers
- Vuzix: Vuzix makes enterprise-focused smart glasses with waveguide displays and AI-assisted workflows. Comparable to Brilliant Labs in wearable optics and on-device compute ambitions, though primarily targeting industrial use cases rather than Halo's consumer/developer focus.
- Snap (Spectacles): Snap's Spectacles are AR smart glasses aimed at creators and developers, similar to Brilliant Labs' developer-led go-to-market. Both sell wearable, camera-enabled eyewear integrated with a software platform, though Snap focuses on AR capture while Brilliant Labs emphasizes AI assistance.
- Meta (Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses): Meta's Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are the most direct consumer AI glasses competitor to Brilliant Labs' Halo. Both target consumers with always-on cameras and AI assistants; Brilliant Labs differentiates on privacy-first on-device AI vs. Meta's cloud-dependent approach.
- Epson (Moverio): Epson's Moverio line is a long-running smart glasses platform with see-through displays. Comparable to Brilliant Labs as an eyewear-form AI/AR hardware vendor targeting developers and enterprise users, though with a more mature but lower-profile installed base.
Emerging players
- Even Realities: Even Realities produces consumer smart glasses with embedded displays and AI features at a similar price band to Halo. Comparable as a direct premium consumer AI glasses competitor focused on everyday wearability.
- Humane (AI Pin): Humane's AI Pin was a wearable AI device targeting similar consumer pain points (always-available assistant, screenless computing). Comparable as a privacy-aware AI wearable startup, though in a different form factor (lapel pin vs. glasses).
- Rabbit (r1): Rabbit's r1 is a pocket-sized AI consumer device focused on natural-language task execution. Comparable as an emerging consumer AI hardware startup targeting similar privacy and simplicity narratives, but with a dedicated handheld form factor rather than eyewear.
- Solos (Smart Glasses): Solos makes AI-enabled smart glasses focused on translation and voice assistance. Comparable to Brilliant Labs in eyewear-form AI wearables with developer/community elements, though targeting narrower translation use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Brilliant Labs social profiles
Digital presenceBrilliant Labs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brilliant Labs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Brilliant Labs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brilliant Labs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brilliant Labs
What does Brilliant Labs do?
Brilliant Labs designs, manufactures, and sells open-source AI-powered smart glasses (Halo) with on-device AI processing and the Noa conversational AI assistant. The glasses provide privacy-first multimodal AI experiences including real-time translation, contextual memory, and customizable mini-apps, sold direct-to-consumer via its e-commerce storefront and to developers who build on the platform via SDK and open-source repositories.
Is Brilliant Labs a public or private company?
Brilliant Labs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Brilliant Labs founded?
Brilliant Labs was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Brilliant Labs based?
Brilliant Labs is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does Brilliant Labs make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are noa Plus Subscription.
Who are Brilliant Labs's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Apple (Vision Pro / future glasses) and Google (Android XR / Glass). Direct peers are Vuzix, Snap (Spectacles), Meta (Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses) and Epson (Moverio). Emerging players are Even Realities, Humane (AI Pin), Rabbit (r1) and Solos (Smart Glasses).
Does Brilliant Labs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brilliant Labs.
What industry is Brilliant Labs in?
Brilliant Labs's product category is Wearable AI Smart Glasses. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAIAE, AR Smart Glasses, with a secondary code of HDACALAH, Wearable Computers (Industrial Smart Glasses/Wrist/Arm-Mount). Its NAICS code is 45613 and its SIC code is 3851.