Sports technology is evolving at breakneck speed, and running is no exception. After exploring our coverage of the Huawei running watch and its partnership with Eliud Kipchoge, the world’s largest electronics show has delivered another disruptive idea. At CES 2026, wearable brand Amazfit surprised the industry by unveiling the Helio Glasses, an augmented‑reality eyewear concept designed specifically for runners and cyclists. Instead of glancing down at your wrist, these glasses aim to float your training metrics directly in front of your eyes without taking your gaze off the road.
What are the Helio Glasses?
According to Amazfit’s official statement at CES 2026, the Helio Glasses are lightweight sunglasses with polycarbonate lenses that integrate a minimalist heads‑up display. Instead of checking your watch every few metres, essential information is projected directly into your field of vision: current pace, heart rate, distance covered or navigation prompts. Their purpose is to solve two familiar problems for runners: staying focused and improving safety by keeping your head up.
The prototype shown pairs with Amazfit’s watches and bands. When linked to a device, the glasses receive data through the Zepp app, process it and display it in real time. As reported by NotebookCheck, the company plans for the battery to last a full marathon (around five hours) and for controls to be handled via buttons on the frame or through the watch itself. The glasses are also designed to be water‑ and sweat‑resistant.
Unlike other models on the market, such as the Oakley Meta Vanguard that integrate Garmin and focus more on audio than visuals, the Helio Glasses seek to provide a true augmented‑reality experience without distracting the user with unnecessary information. For now they are a concept rather than a finished product, but Amazfit is aiming for a launch in the second half of 2026.
Key features
- Projected display: pace, heart rate and navigation appear on a discreet heads‑up display.
- Smartwatch integration: syncs with the Amazfit ecosystem and the Zepp app to receive and process data in real time.
- Marathon‑ready battery: early information suggests a battery life sufficient to complete a marathon.
- Intuitive controls: buttons on the frame and remote control via the watch to switch metrics or pause information.
- Durable design: polycarbonate lenses and resistance to water and sweat mean they can withstand tough training conditions.
How they can improve your training
Beyond their futuristic appeal, the Helio Glasses open the door to new training methods. By projecting your metrics directly in your field of view, they help you maintain a more natural posture and reduce the need to check your wrist or phone. This is especially useful during speed work or technical descents, where every second of distraction counts. Integration with the Zepp platform will allow you to customize the screens according to your goals: perhaps you want to see the intervals of your fartlek session, your heart rate during a threshold workout, or the navigation map during a long run.
Safety is also a major consideration. Displaying route directions on the glasses themselves avoids risky situations at junctions or roads with traffic and can be the ideal complement for unfamiliar routes. From a motivational standpoint, having your pace and heart rate constantly visible makes it easier to adjust effort in real time and avoid both over‑training and falling short of your target pace.
Comparison with other smart glasses
The Helio Glasses are not entering an empty market. Brands like Garmin, Meta and Oakley have already experimented with athlete‑focused eyewear. The Oakley Meta Vanguard, for example, integrate a voice assistant, heart‑rate sensors and a 12 MP camera, but they lack a display that shows real‑time data; instead they rely on audio notifications and an LED indicator to display intensity zones. Other augmented‑reality proposals, such as Xreal glasses or Apple’s Vision Pro, are geared more towards entertainment than sport.
Amazfit plans to stand out by putting runners at the centre. The combination of data projection, sweat resistance and integration with its ecosystem of watches and the Zepp app makes these glasses a tool specifically designed for training. Although pricing is still unknown, the fact that Amazfit is known for mid‑range wearables suggests they may be more affordable than some of their competitors.
Tips to prepare for augmented reality in running
- Adapt gradually: if you’ve never run with augmented‑reality glasses, start with simple sports sunglasses to get used to the feeling.
- Customize your screens: decide which metrics you want to see and when. On long runs you may only need total time and average pace, whereas in an interval workout you’ll want a timer for each rep.
- Don’t neglect technique: technology is a support, not a substitute for working on posture, cadence and strength. Use the data to improve your form, not to obsess over every digit.
- Sync with your training app: you’ll get the most out of the Helio Glasses if you combine their metrics with a structured training plan. With SnapRace Premium you can design personalized plans, follow voice‑guided routes and compare sessions to adjust your load.
- Prioritise your safety: although information is always in front of you, remember to pay attention to the terrain and your surroundings. Adjust brightness and the amount of data so it doesn’t distract you from the most important thing: running safely.
What’s next: launch timeline and expectations
For now,Helio Glasses: Amazfit’s new augmented‑reality eyewear for runners unveiled at CES 2026 the Helio Glasses remain a prototype. Amazfit has confirmed that it is still fine‑tuning the final design, features and price, and that the launch is scheduled for the second half of 2026. Even so, the buzz generated at CES shows there’s strong interest in solutions that allow for more immersive and safer training. If the promised features are delivered, we could be looking at a profound change in how we interact with our data while running.
For running enthusiasts, these innovations present an opportunity to rethink how we train. Until now, watches and apps have been our main allies. With the Helio Glasses, we could free our hands and wrists and focus on enjoying the run. While we wait for them to hit the market, keep improving your PBs with SnapRace and take advantage of current technology.
Can you imagine running with your data floating in front of you? Tell us in the comments which features you’d like to see in augmented‑reality running glasses and how you think they could change your training.