Party Enhancing Smiley Glasses
Short Description
The Party Enhancing™ Smiley Glasses will enhance your party.1 They won't make nor bring the party, just enhance it by about 3.96%. If they don't enhance your party, you may return them for a refund within 31 days of purchase. That's the party enhancing guarantee.2
Long Description
The Party Enhancing Smiley Glasses have been worn at various festivals, parties, clubs and burns around the world and they have consistently added to the fun. Here’s why…
The Animation
The message is a positive one, namely Smileys. They’ll randomly change colors and animate (See Video). Apparently, people often smile back at smiles especially when they haven’t seen a particular set of smiles before (See Anecdote 1). There are additional, quickly displayed patterns just to mix things up.
I realize, now that I’m making more and selling them, they are no longer truly unique3. However, I think the world is big enough for a few dozen of these and there will always be people who haven’t seen them before (See Anecdote 2).
The Design
Before creating these, I purchased a variety of mass production light up glasses. One set had sound sensitive equalizers. A cool idea and they did look cool, but I couldn’t see shit out of them. A different set of glasses light’s had elements that shined into your eyes, destroying my night vision. Half the fun of parties in my book is observing other people and the scene in general. These glasses are specifically designed not to impede your vision. You can hardly tell the lights are on. Usually, you have to look at some reflective surface to check in on them, which can be somewhat entertaining.
The prototype had buttons to adjust the brightness and toggle the animations. This turned out to be an annoying distraction. The brightness and animation timing has been optimized for maximum party enhancing.
The Wire
When I started developing the prototype, I tried to get the electronics and battery all on the glasses themselves. But this would have been too bulky to look cool and annoying to wear. So, the glasses are connected to the controller and battery via a wire. I usually run the wire down my back under a shirt. At first, I was disappointed with the added complexity. Little did I know the wire would be its best feature, for three reasons. The first two reasons are obvious and less important, namely they are very difficult to lose and difficult to steal while wearing them (see Anecdote 3).
But the real reason the wire is the best feature is when you share them. When people want to try them on and/or take a picture, you’re not just handing them off. You remain connected with the folks you’re sharing them with and share in their fun.
Durability
The glasses are about as durable as any fine eyewear, with the added component of electronics. They should be fine in light rain, but avoid anything electrically conductive like salt water.
Battery
The included USB battery lasts around 20 hours4. It’s a standard Micro USB rechargeable battery. Not all USB batteries will work as some batteries have electronics that monitor usage and don't recognize the glasses.
And Finally
The glasses are being sold as fine art. Hence, each controller is signed and numbered. I’d like to say each one is made with love, but no, they are a pain in the ass to make. However, the anticipation of the joy I’ll feel if/when I see somebody I don’t know having their party enhanced, keeps me going.
1 Yes, I actually trademarked "Party Enhancing".
2 They must be returned undamaged (including unscratched lenses). Shipping costs can’t be refunded.
3 To keep them unique-ish and prevent myself from going crazy making these things, the price will increase according to the following formula: 100+π*(n^(π^2/e^2)+e^2*sin((e+n)/π)) where n is the instance number. Hence, limiting the number of glasses out there.
4 If you can out last the glasses’ battery, let’s talk.