The challenge
Bose, a leader in high-performance audio products, was stepping into new territory with the release of Bose Frames. These smart sunglasses combined premium sound with augmented reality (AR) experiences. But because the Frames were a brand-new product, there was no public software development kit (SDK) available to support integrations.
Our goal was to
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Integrate audio landmark navigation with the Frames without an official SDK
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Create a seamless, hands-free navigation experience for Bose Frames users
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Deliver a polished product for a public launch alongside Bose at South by Southwest (SXSW)
The solution
As one of just ten early launch partners, WestLink was among the first to work hands-on with Bose’s cutting-edge AR audio technology. The mobile app we developed used custom algorithms to transform Bluetooth signals from the Bose Frames into real-time walking directions, creating a more immersive and hands-free way for users to navigate.
Our approach focused on three key areas
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Delivering landmark-based navigation through audio cues (“Turn left at Starbucks”)
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Building a custom data interpretation layer to manually decode Bluetooth signals from a user’s Bose Frames
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Designing a walking-first navigation experience that made navigating cities seamless and hands-free
The results
We successfully created a first-of-its-kind mobile and wearable integration that pushed the boundaries of what was possible with audio AR. Our work was demoed at SXSW and was one of the featured experiences used to showcase the potential of Bose Frames.
The platform launched to significant acclaim
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Seamless landmark-based navigation without the need to constantly check a phone
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Successful real-time Bluetooth decoding for IoT wearable integration
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New expertise and momentum for future IoT and connected device projects
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Positioned Bose Frames as an innovator in the emerging audio AR space
What we built
We designed and developed WALC, a landmark-based navigation app for iOS and Android that decodes the Frames’ orientation and movement through Bluetooth to deliver real-time audio directional cues through the Bose Frames.
The app helps users
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Navigate cities naturally with audio landmark cues like “Turn right at Duane Reade.”
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Stay present and hands-free while receiving directions
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Use their Bose Frames in a more immersive and connected way
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Experience the future of wearable audio technology
How we did it
Since the Bose Frames launched without a public SDK, we had to rethink how our mobile app could communicate with the hardware and track the user’s location. We developed a custom algorithm to decode real-time Bluetooth signals from the Frames, accurately determining the user’s location and movement to deliver precise, location-based audio cues.
We combined several cutting-edge technologies
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Real-time Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal decoding
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Waveguide speakers and noise-canceling audio technology
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Audio augmented reality
