First Real-Life AR Ad Blocker Unveiled for Snap Spectacles and Gemini AI by Belgian Engineer
First Real-Life AR Ad Blocker Unveiled for Snap Spectacles and Gemini AI by Belgian Engineer
A Belgian developer has created a working prototype AR app that uses Snap Spectacles and Google’s Gemini AI to detect and block ads in real life. Stijn Spanhove’s project leverages Snap’s fifth-generation AR glasses and Gemini’s vision capabilities to identify and cover physical ads—such as billboards, posters, and product packaging—with red overlays, all in real time.
Instead of simply removing ads, the AR blocker covers detected brands with a bright red square that also labels the blocked item (for example, “Bol. billboard”). Spanhove showcased the app’s features on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting the potential to swap out red squares with personal images or text. He wrote: “It’s exciting to imagine a future where you control the physical content you see.” In further replies, he discussed adding support for custom visuals, including photos or notes.
The app works by combining Snap’s Depth Cache API (for 3D object tracking and spatial alignment) with Gemini AI (to recognize branded imagery). Demo videos show the overlays working not only on large outdoor ads but also on cereal boxes, magazines, and signage. The overlays follow the user’s head movements with stable spatial accuracy, although a brief lag is visible during detection.
This AR ad blocker is still experimental, with some limitations noted. The current Snap Spectacles’ transparent display cannot fully block underlying light, so some ads faintly show through. The field of view is also limited to 46 degrees—only what’s in front of the user is covered.
Online reactions have been mixed: some support the concept of user-controlled real-world visuals, while others find the red blocks more intrusive than the ads. Users on X have suggested swapping the overlays with images of nature or personal photos. As of now, the app only works with Snap Spectacles. There’s no public release yet, and devices like Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest would require separate builds.
Despite AR setbacks by larger tech companies, Snap continues to make its Spectacles available to developers for $99 per month, enabling experiments like this one. While no official release date is set, the project highlights the possibility of an AR world where users can filter their physical environment as easily as digital content.
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Featured image credit: Interesting Engineering
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