Google Glass Points to the Future

The tech community has paid careful attention to Google Glass and a new public launch set for early 2014. This head-mounted unit is a game-changer in the mobile device market. People have exhibited wonder, excitement, and concern. Its hardware and software have led experts to make predictions on what future iterations of the product will be like. How popular will it get and how much will daily life be impacted?

Forward thinkers have discussed its potential role in augmented reality, changing consumer behavior, working, and studying. The ability to record everything and the concept of citizen journalism have been considered as well. Experts believe Google Glass represents the beginning of the future for wearable displays.

Potential Life-Saving Applications

One potential role of Google Glass could be to view patient data and integrate it with medical devices in real time. Accenture Technology Labs, along with Philips’ medical division, conducted research on creating a medical app. A physician using a wearable display does not have to turn away and can stay focused on life-saving measures. While this technology hasn’t been developed yet, industry leaders believe it will be eventually. Surgeons could very likely have wearable devices at their disposal before 2020.

Whether Google Glass really represents AR has been questioned by the augmented reality community. According to Mike Cohen of Total Immersion, a commercial AR company, the correlation of Google’s product with AR is a misconception – Google Glass is a video overlay. Other companies such as Layar agree the product does not address augmented reality. It will take further miniaturization and depth cameras to make that happen; more computing power will be needed as well.

A Precursor to Augmented Reality Products?

These resources could enable someone to try a ring on, for example. Augmented reality would require a more immersive experience than is now possible. Google Glass would have to be enhanced with the capabilities of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. Kinect shades is a recent patent by Microsoft. Taking the concept even further, it will recognize the faces of gamers, track eye movements, respond to gestures, and more.

All Glass does now is overlay a small screen in the corner of one’s field of vision. The display appears in the top right; not exactly an immersive experience. A lot of ideas have been put on the table, but when anyone will have Glass with augmented reality is a question no one yet can answer. The reality of the experience will be discussed for some time to come. The future possibilities include expanding the range of information used to add elements to the real environment with an electronic device.