Meta opens £12m audio lab in Cambridge to advance AI-powered smart glasses

Image credit: Meta

Meta has launched a new £12m audio research facility in Cambridge as part of its global push to develop advanced AI-powered smart glasses.

The lab, located in the UK government’s “Ox-Cam” growth corridor between Oxford and Cambridge, will drive innovation for Meta’s augmented and artificial intelligence eyewear, including the Ray-Ban Meta and newly announced Oakley Meta models. These glasses already offer features such as video calling, livestreaming and outfit recommendations.

Designed to simulate real-world soundscapes with high precision, the state-of-the-art lab includes ultra-quiet anechoic chambers, one of the world’s largest configurable reverberation rooms, and sensor-equipped environments replicating kitchens and living rooms. It also features motion tracking zones where AI can analyse user interactions with sub-millimetre accuracy.

Meta’s aim is to create intelligent audio experiences that adapt in real time to users’ surroundings—such as filtering out traffic noise while maintaining clear podcast playback or enhancing conversation clarity on public transport.

Using machine learning, the glasses will detect where users are looking or turning their heads and amplify relevant sounds while reducing background noise. Meta says the new lab will make these experiences more “natural, immersive, and inclusive.”

The opening signals Meta’s long-term commitment to the UK, which is now home to the company’s largest engineering hub outside the US. Joel Kaplan, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, said the lab demonstrates Meta’s belief in “the top engineering talent” the UK produces.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves hailed the investment as “a huge vote of confidence” in the country’s innovation ecosystem, noting that it aligns with government plans to boost research and development through the £22 billion R&D budget.

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