Building Smart Glasses Apps with the Android XR SDK and Kotlin

Introduction

Android XR provides Android developers with APIs for XR experiences across supported devices. Smart-glasses applications should separate device-specific functionality from business logic.

Architecture

Kotlin App
   |
   +--> Android XR APIs
   |
   +--> Application State
   |
   +--> AI / Cloud Services

1. Create an Android project

Start with the current Android Studio tooling and Android XR project configuration recommended by Google.

Use the official Android XR documentation because dependencies and device support evolve quickly.

2. Structure the project

app/
 ├── ui/
 ├── xr/
 ├── data/
 ├── domain/
 └── ai/

3. Create an XR service abstraction

interface XrDeviceService {
    fun start()
    fun stop()
    fun isAvailable(): Boolean
}

4. Implement the device service

class AndroidXrDeviceService : XrDeviceService {
    override fun start() {
        // Initialize supported Android XR functionality.
    }

    override fun stop() {
        // Release XR resources.
    }

    override fun isAvailable(): Boolean = true
}

5. Handle lifecycle

XR hardware can change state independently of your activity.

override fun onResume() {
    super.onResume()
    xrService.start()
}

override fun onPause() {
    xrService.stop()
    super.onPause()
}

6. Build wearable-first UI

Avoid copying a phone screen directly onto glasses. Use:

Short text.
Large readable controls.
Minimal interaction.
Voice where appropriate.
Contextual information.

Conclusion

Kotlin and the Android XR stack provide a natural foundation for Android-based wearable experiences. Keep hardware APIs behind interfaces so the application can evolve as XR devices and SDKs change.