April 11, 2026, 5:45 am | Read time: 2 minutes
While smart glasses are still rare in everyday life in Germany, a questionable business is booming in China around these intelligent glasses. Schools and universities there are increasingly facing new challenges because students are using the devices as digital cheat sheets.
Rental of Smart Glasses Causes Problems
According to the website Restofworld.com, students rent the glasses online for the equivalent of 5 to 10 euros per day. The providers advertise that solutions for math problems or translations can be displayed on the screen.
Many apparently use this feature to avoid failing exams. The glasses scan worksheets via built-in cameras, send the data to cloud software, and the correct answers then appear directly in the user’s field of vision.
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Cheating Hard to Detect
The deception is so inconspicuous that teachers often do not notice the smart glasses. Students frequently operate the devices using smart rings or bracelets, without having to touch the glasses or a smartphone. Many educational institutions ban the use of such AI glasses. However, since the devices are hardly distinguishable from regular glasses, many test-takers get away with it in practice.
Future of Smart Glasses
Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have already studied and confirmed the effectiveness of smart glasses in exam situations. They are developing methods to help teachers detect the devices more easily. Worldwide, the demand for smart glasses is growing slowly but steadily, and more manufacturers are entering the market.
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Rumor has it that the company Nothing plans to offer smart glasses with a display starting in 2027. So far, only a few models are on the market: Rokid released its glasses in November 2025, and the Meta Ray-Ban with an integrated display is officially available only in the U.S.