Reviewed by Jonathan West · Updated Oct 4, 2026

Omi Glass Dev Kit Price and Availability

Omi sells the developer kit for $499; the consumer and brain-interface versions are waitlist-only.

Reviewed by Jonathan West · Updated Oct 4, 2026

Omi Glass is an open-source camera-glasses developer kit created by Based Hardware, but general consumers cannot buy a retail pair today.

At Layer3Labs, we build AI workflow automation, custom agents and CRM integrations for small and mid-sized businesses, so we read Omi Glass for what a developer can connect to the Omi platform.

We have not tested Omi Glass hands-on; the figures here come from Omi's published prices and documentation.


What Omi Glass Is and Who Can Buy It

Omi Glass is an open-source camera-glasses developer kit sold at $499, while the consumer and brain-interface editions remain waitlist-only. Only software developers and hardware engineers ready to work with prototype hardware can order a pair today. Everyday buyers should join the waitlist instead.

The Omi Glass Dev Kit lists at $799, but Omi currently prices it at $499. Inventory reporting across Omi's store remains inconsistent. Omi's pricing page states that the kit ships now, while the product page shows conflicting out of stock and shipping notices.

Prices and plans change without notice, so verify current figures on the Omi pricing page before buying. Omi also lists an experimental brain-interface version with EEG sensors. Pricing for that edition is not in our verified data, and access remains waitlist-only.

  • Developer kit price: $499 on sale from a $799 list price
  • Stock status: inconsistent between Omi store pages, so verify before ordering
  • Consumer edition: waitlist-only with retail pricing not in our verified data
  • Brain interface edition: waitlist-only prototype with EEG and EMG sensors
  • Target audience: software engineers and hardware developers
The Omi Glass Dev Kit is camera glasses built on a XIAO ESP32-S3 Sense board for developers. General consumers should join the waitlist for the retail version.

Hardware Specifications for the Developer Kit

The Omi Glass Dev Kit is built around a XIAO ESP32-S3 Sense microcontroller board equipped with an integrated digital camera sensor. The optical module takes a still photo every few seconds instead of recording continuous video. That gives a developer a steady series of still images to work with instead of a video file.

The kit runs on seven battery cells. The hardware houses six 150 mAh cells alongside a single 250 mAh cell. Omi claims this setup provides six times the battery capacity of Meta Ray-Bans, which we cite solely as Omi's marketing claim.

The glasses are not water-resistant, and Omi's refund policy excludes moisture damage. Total device weight, full recharge time, and outer frame dimensions are not in our verified data.

  • Processing core: XIAO ESP32-S3 Sense development board
  • Imaging system: integrated camera capturing periodic still frames
  • Battery capacity: six 150 mAh cells plus one 250 mAh cell
  • Battery comparison: Omi claims six times the battery capacity of Meta Ray-Bans
  • Moisture protection: not water-resistant, and Omi excludes moisture damage from returns

Open Source Software and GitHub Repository

All hardware design files and firmware code for Omi Glass are released as open source under the MIT license on GitHub. The repository has about 13,600 GitHub stars. This public license lets technical teams audit security practices and flash custom firmware.

Omi has not published how the Glass dev kit pairs with the Omi app; the code is in the GitHub repository. Developers can review connection routines directly inside the codebase. The Omi app itself runs on iOS 15+, Android 7+, a Mac app and the web app.

For firmware work on the Omi pendant, Omi sells a Firmware Developer Kit for $59.99 that pairs a J-Link debugger with an Omi flash board. Confirm hardware prerequisites in Omi's developer documentation before attempting to compile custom firmware builds.

Open-source access means technical teams can inspect code directly on GitHub, but getting the developer kit working requires microcontroller programming skills.

Platform Integrations and Developer Tools

The Omi app turns captured audio into transcripts and memories that other software can read. Teams can build software applications without buying hardware. The Omi mobile application or Mac desktop tool can record meetings directly using internal system microphones.

Omi hosts a Model Context Protocol server detailed in Omi's developer documentation. The server lets Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and Codex query stored memories and conversation records using API keys or OAuth authentication.

Omi provides a REST API alongside webhooks for audio bytes, live transcripts, memory creation events, and day summaries. Omi connects with Zapier and with note and chat apps, so a finished conversation can trigger a task or a CRM note in another tool.

  • Hardware-free development: mobile and Mac apps support audio recording directly
  • MCP server integration: queries conversations through Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and Codex
  • API and webhooks: streams raw audio, live transcripts, and structured day summaries
  • Ecosystem connections: integrates with Zapier and community note apps
  • App marketplace: Omi reports over 1,000 third-party community applications


Prototyping Use Cases for Computer Vision

A developer would buy the Omi Glass Dev Kit to build multimodal AI agents that combine visual context with spoken conversation. A photo every few seconds gives a vision model a chance to identify objects on a desk or workbench.

Two prototypes are worth building first. One pattern pairs visual logs with equipment maintenance, letting an AI assistant review physical machinery alongside technical diagrams. Another workflow logs whiteboard diagrams directly into project management records during product planning sessions.

Camera glasses also capture everyone in the room, so test them on your own workbench before you bring them into a client meeting. Review our recording consent compliance guide before introducing experimental capture devices to business meetings.

  • Physical inspection: pairing visual snapshots of machinery with technical manuals
  • Meeting transcription: capturing whiteboard drawings alongside conversational audio
  • Inventory logging: recording shelf configurations and physical asset tags automatically
  • Contextual memory: pairing photos with the Omi conversation recorded at the same time
  • Prototype testing: developing custom multimodal vision models before consumer hardware arrives


Who Should Buy Omi Glass and Who Should Wait

The Omi Glass Dev Kit is for developers who can program a microcontroller board. Who this is not for: non-technical professionals, medical practices, enterprise teams managing regulated client records, and consumers wanting finished smart glasses. If you need immediate meeting summaries, choose dedicated audio recorders instead.

Technical developers building computer vision applications can justify the purchase. The $499 promotional price provides accessible test hardware for teams prototyping multimodal agents. The MIT-licensed code on GitHub lets developers change the firmware and app code themselves.

Our answer changes if Omi releases a finished consumer edition. If Based Hardware ships consumer glasses with a published water-resistance rating and steady stock, they become an option for general business use, subject to the consent rules above. Confirm inventory on the Omi Glass Dev Kit page before committing engineering budget to hardware orders.

Do not buy the Omi Glass Dev Kit expecting a consumer smart glasses experience. It is a developer board designed for prototyping vision software.

Hardware Choices Across the Omi Ecosystem

Pick Omi Glass only if you are building vision features; pick the pendant or phone capture for conversations. Using phone microphones requires no hardware purchase at all.

Software developers testing multimodal MCP agents will benefit from the open-source camera hardware. General business users should purchase the standard pendant or test phone capture before investing in developer kits.

Prototype glasses demand programming experience and careful legal vetting for public recording. Verify current device options and promotional pricing on the Omi pricing page before choosing your hardware.

  • Omi Glass Dev Kit: $499 on sale ($799 list), captures periodic camera stills, best for computer vision developers
  • Omi Pendant: $129 on sale ($179 list), captures dual-microphone audio, best for hands-free conversational recording
  • Phone-Only Capture: $0 hardware cost, uses mobile or Mac microphones, best for testing Omi software without physical devices

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes, Omi Glass is a real developer kit created by Based Hardware. It combines a camera with an ESP32 microcontroller board in an eyeglass frame, but it is currently sold only as an open-source development kit rather than a finished consumer device.
  • The Omi Glass Dev Kit is listed at $799, with a current promotional sale price of $499. Prices and plans change without notice, so verify current pricing on the Omi Glass Dev Kit page before placing an order.
  • You can purchase the developer kit directly from the official Omi Glass Dev Kit page. However, inventory reporting is inconsistent on Omi's site, showing both out of stock and available to ship notices, so check stock status on the Omi Glass Dev Kit page before ordering.
  • No consumer version is available for purchase today. Based Hardware maintains a waitlist for its planned consumer glasses, but release dates and retail pricing are not in our verified data.
  • Yes, the Omi Glass hardware design files and firmware code are released under the MIT license. Developers can inspect, modify, and download the repository directly on GitHub.
  • No, the Omi Glass Dev Kit captures a still photograph every few seconds rather than recording continuous video. This approach provides periodic visual snapshots for multimodal AI analysis.
  • Yes, you can use the Omi software platform without buying any hardware. The Omi mobile application and Mac desktop app can record audio directly through your existing phone or computer microphone.

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