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yjeanrenaud/yj_nearbyglasses

Android and iOS app that scans Bluetooth LE advertisements and alerts you when smart glasses from known manufacturers are nearby.

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What is it?

Nearby Glasses is an Android app, with a companion iOS version, that tries to detect smart glasses nearby and notify the user. It works by matching the manufacturer company IDs found in Bluetooth LE advertising frames against a list that includes Meta, Luxottica, Snap and a few others, and it also looks for certain device names and service UUIDs. Detection is heuristic, so the project states that false positives such as VR headsets are likely and that it can also miss devices.

A signal-strength (RSSI) threshold controls how close a device must be to trigger an alert, with -75 dBm as the default. Alerts can appear as system notifications, or in a canary mode that shows a status indicator instead. The Android version can run as a foreground service, and it includes an optional log with export and a setting for overriding company IDs. The iOS version only offers canary mode because of background restrictions.

The project is written in Kotlin and licensed under AGPL-3.0. The author states that the app collects no personal data and that the logs stay local on the device.

Key features

  • 01Scans BLE advertisements for manufacturer IDs linked to smart glasses such as Meta Ray-Ban.
  • 02Adjustable RSSI threshold to control how close a device must be to trigger an alert.
  • 03Canary mode that shows a status indicator instead of system notifications.
  • 04Android foreground service for more reliable background scanning, which can be turned off.
  • 05Exportable local debug log and the option to override company IDs.
  • 06Available on Android (Google Play, APK) and iOS (App Store).

Use cases

  • Checking whether smart glasses with cameras are nearby in a bar, a meeting or a public space.
  • Studying how BLE advertising and manufacturer IDs can be used for device detection.
  • Auditing BLE advertising behaviour on an Android or iOS phone.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the app from the Releases page or Google Play, F-Droid/IzzyOnDroid, Obtainium, or the App Store

  2. 2

    Open the app and grant Bluetooth and notification permissions, then start scanning

Things to know

  • False positives are likely, since company IDs also appear in VR headsets and other devices from the same manufacturers.
  • It may miss smart glasses, and detection depends on Bluetooth advertisements that can vary.
  • The iOS version does not work in the background and only offers Canary Mode.
  • The project's README explicitly warns against harassing people based on the alerts.

Topics

#bluetooth#ble#privacy#android#ios#smart-glasses#kotlin#mobile-app#android-app#meta

FAQ

What is yj_nearbyglasses?
Android and iOS app that scans Bluetooth LE advertisements and alerts you when smart glasses from known manufacturers are nearby. Nearby Glasses is an Android app, with a companion iOS version, that tries to detect smart glasses nearby and notify the user. It works by matching the manufacturer company IDs found in Bluetooth LE advertising frames against a list that includes Meta, Luxottica, Snap and a few others, and it also looks for certain device names and service UUIDs. Detection is heuristic, so the project states that false positives such as VR headsets are likely and that it can also miss devices.
Is yj_nearbyglasses free to use? What license does it have?
yj_nearbyglasses is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is yj_nearbyglasses still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to yj_nearbyglasses was on Sep 24, 2026.
What can I use yj_nearbyglasses for?
Checking whether smart glasses with cameras are nearby in a bar, a meeting or a public space. Studying how BLE advertising and manufacturer IDs can be used for device detection. Auditing BLE advertising behaviour on an Android or iOS phone.
How do I install yj_nearbyglasses?
Download the app from the Releases page or Google Play, F-Droid/IzzyOnDroid, Obtainium, or the App Store Open the app and grant Bluetooth and notification permissions, then start scanning
Where can I get yj_nearbyglasses?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/yjeanrenaud/yj_nearbyglasses

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

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