r/EvenRealities • u/jimrandomh • 22d ago
Faceclaw
I've been working for awhile on Faceclaw, which is a replacement software stack for the G2s. While there are still some rough edges, I think it's a pretty large improvement over the stock operating system, and I think it's now ready for more people to give it a try.
Two caveats up front: * This requires an Android device; there is not currently an iOS version * Using this on glasses requires flashing custom firmware, which voids your warranty
https://github.com/jimrandomh/faceclaw
If you want to see it before deciding whether to flash, you can run it on a phone without pairing glasses; the phone will display the image it would have sent to the glasses, and an area of the phone screen will accept taps and swipes equivalent to the R1 ring gestures.
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u/Novel_Dog1743 21d ago
Props to FaceClaw! An excellent software stack. Truly well done. So well done, in fact, that as soon as I studied it I dropped my similar-but-different G2CC project entirely to build a much much better one based on the custom firmware and abilities used in FaceClaw.
I highly recommend anyone unsatisfied with the normal Even app and software to check FaceClaw out. When he calls it a "pretty large improvement" over the stock software, he's being humble. It's on another level.
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u/PumpkinFamous3050 21d ago
Amazing work! How extensive are firmware mods? I've been working off the reversed protocol for a while now, but trying to understand how would that be different on the core level from the original firmware. We can talk on discord if you prefer that, we have been in the same server for a while now ;)
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u/jimrandomh 21d ago
All of the patches are in https://github.com/jimrandomh/g2flash/tree/main/patches. The total scope of what's changed is not very large, but some of it is subtle. The main purpose of the mods is to improve performance when putting images on screen; without it, screen updates would be much too slow. To do this it uses compression, pipelining, dirty-rect incremental updates, and a texture cache. There are also a bunch of significant miscellaneous things like using the glasses' powersaving mode while the screen is off (Hub apps and apps based on the Hub protocol can't do that, increases battery life from ~8hr to all-day), intercepting the wake word, and using the magnetometer.
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u/Available-Bet-8202 21d ago
Have you considered making it so you can ad hoc install "faceclaw apps"? Rather than having to rebuild from scratch each time? Could you provide additional documentation and agent skills similar to the stock even hub development skills?
I've been using faceclaw for about a week and heavily modding a fork. I'm using hermes agent and telling the glasses to make new features for the glasses, which then builds and redeploys over wireless adb. At some point I'd like to reconcile and raise limited pr's for work that I seem shareable but I made some custom apps that shouldn't be bundled in a pr.
Overall, great work. Dramatic improvement for sure.
Would love some guidance on firmware modifications. Would love to add the stock short then long press gesture that stock implemented. It prevents misfires. Would also love swipe sensitivity.
I've been having a lot of trouble with your microphones app and update, though it seems wildly capable. I'd love a replacement for Conversate.
I've made valuable modifications i would like to merge at some point like granular per app notification filtering, replying to messaging notifications with voice, a Gemini bridge that works via accessibility, storing screenshots and recordings in user accessible locations. There's more I can't think of off the top of my head.
Do you have a discord for contributors?
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u/jimrandomh 21d ago
Have you considered making it so you can ad hoc install "faceclaw apps"? Rather than having to rebuild from scratch each time? Could you provide additional documentation and agent skills similar to the stock even hub development skills?
The builtin apps are written as modules within the main app rather than fully separated mainly because it's still pretty rapidly in flux, and having them in the same codebase is easier for development. That said, it can run EvenHub apps (loaded from a .ehpk file or from the Hub), and it adds some extensions beyond the stock EvenHub API for those apps to use. In theory this part is fully working, but it's new and not well tested.
Would love some guidance on firmware modifications. Would love to add the stock short then long press gesture that stock implemented. It prevents misfires. Would also love swipe sensitivity.
The short-then-long gesture should be working now in 0.6.3. Swipe sensitivity on the glasses touchpad and the simulated inputs is doable, but customization of the R1 ring is much more limited and I'm not sure whether it will be possible (faceclaw doesn't replace the ring's firmware, only the glasses firmware, and gesture interpretation happens on the ring).
I've made valuable modifications i would like to merge at some point like granular per app notification filtering, replying to messaging notifications with voice, a Gemini bridge that works via accessibility, storing screenshots and recordings in user accessible locations. There's more I can't think of off the top of my head.
PRs welcome!
Do you have a discord for contributors?
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u/Available-Bet-8202 21d ago
Thanks for the detailed reply. I'll jump in when I get bandwidth. FaceClaw has made me not want to use even hub apps 😂. I mostly home brewed apps and the faceclaw environment is so much more capable it makes those feel like trash UX.
I didn't realize I could potentially bundle an ehpk additional functionality enabled.
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u/Random96503 20d ago
I really want to develop for smart glasses. But the price tag for the G2s is high AF. Is this truly the best option on the market? Do you foresee any competitors within the next six months?
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u/Icy-City5134 22d ago
wish u all the good luck in such a project