Harvard Duo Behind Viral Doxing Glasses Raise $6.6M For Specs That “Remember Everything”
Former Harvard students AnhPhu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio have raised a $6.6 million seed round led by General Catalyst to develop Mira: audio-first smart glasses that “remember everything.”
Described as a “second brain,” Mira designed to learn throughout your daily life and provide personalized, private insights.
The Viral Moment That Started It All
Nguyen and Ardayfio first drew widespread attention in September 2024 after an X video demonstrating their hacked Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses went viral. In the demo, the pair used facial recognition tools and public data sources to identify strangers on Harvard’s campus and in Boston subway stations, retrieving names, addresses, and phone numbers within seconds.
What began as a birthday party experiment quickly became a cautionary example of how exposed personal information can be when combined with modern AI and publicly accessible databases. The founders decided not to release the tool, known as I-XRAY, and instead published a guide to help people remove their information from online directories.
They also decided to drop out of Harvard to build hardware capable of delivering real-time, ambient AI assistance.
Introducing Mira: A Different Kind of Smart Glasses
Originally called Halo, the company has rebranded as Mira, a shorter name that also echoes the Spanish word for “look.” Unlike their viral I-XRAY project, Mira’s glasses don’t use a camera. Instead, they continuously capture and transcribe audio, surfacing relevant context directly in the wearer’s view. Audio is deleted immediately, and transcripts are stored locally on the user’s phone.
The team says the glasses achieve response times under 700 milliseconds, allowing it to recall names, summarize conversations, provide meeting context, and translate speech as it happens across more than 60 languages.
The founders argue that most AI tools are limited by their dependence on typed queries and believe the next generation will rely on proactive, real-time interfaces.
A “Cognitive Copilot” For Your Everyday
The company positions its device as a “cognitive copilot” that extends memory and improves recall. Mira says sub-second AI response times can narrow the gap between what people hear and what they remember, offering assistance that feels conversational rather than reactive.
Nguyen oversees product experience, while Ardayfio focuses on the low-latency systems that power the device. Mira’s seven-person team has developed a prototype that they say is lighter and longer-lasting than leading smart glasses.
“Glasses are the best device to capture memories. You can wear them all day while they sense the world around you,” the pair told General Catalyst. “Mira remembers the details, so you can focus on the bigger picture.”
Image credit: Mira/ General Catalyst
