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Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

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Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#131

Post by fudged »

nextparadigms wrote: post #114
indiefan wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Typical Google. Treating what should be platforms like products and treating what should be products like platforms.

Are you saying they should license this technology to Samsung and others? If that's the case, I disagree. This is Google's chance to increase their profits and market cap three fold and within a few years, if this product turns out as exciting as it seems to be right now.

Considering the number of failed Google services, I think it's plausible to consider more "open" products to have a bigger opportunity for growth and popularity. Allowing third party developers to do their own thing with the product would remove Google's sluggishness as a factor for avoiding the device.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#132

Post by dailyllama »

dwiel wrote: post #61
Symmetry wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its not that Google's automated cars haven't been in an fatal crash, its that they haven't been in a crash at all. The US _crash rate_ is a bit over 5 per million miles traveled, you you would expect about one crash in the 200k miles already covered if it was a human driver. The circumstances probably aren't identical, but what evidence we have suggests that these automated vehicles are at least comparably safe to a…

If we expect 1 crash per 200k mi, and the car has driven 200k mi, the evidence we have has sample size 1 ...

And the human crash rate is in all times of day, and all forms of weather. The rate for daytime, clear weather driving is almost certainly even better than 1 per 200k vehicle-miles.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#133

Post by 9oliYQjP »

These glasses are ugly and unfashionable. But so are bluetooth headsets. I wonder if they'll follow a similar trend curve of rapidly gaining adoption while they seem techy-cool, but quickly turn to douchebag-turnoff accessories as they peak and trail off in adoption.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#134

Post by [deleted] »

JanezStupar wrote: post #130
siavosh wrote: post #72

I loved the video, but it didn't show the glasses on his face. Besides the technical/usability challenges, I think the cultural connotation of the device will be an equally deal/no-deal situation. Like the Segway, significant portions of the society might associate negative connotations with the device ("dorky", antisocial, pretentious etc). I remember when a friend bought a pair of Oakley sunglasses with built in he…

This is nothing like Segway. Segway users are bound to be seen as too lazy to walk. But imagine having these glasses on while performing a complicated technical procedure providing you with checklist of activities, enabling you to take pictures as you go. Or giving a lecture/presentation without having to turn away from the public to peek at your presentation/notes. Plus in comparison to Segway and bluetooth headphon…

[deleted]

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#135

Post by fudged »

DasIch wrote: post #6

Augmented reality glasses, self-driving cars... Google is becoming a really exciting and interesting company. It will be interesting to see how Apple will react to this given that they are the ones claiming to revolutionize consumer technology every couple of years.

Google and Microsoft show lots of possible futures for their products and research. Apple keeps most of their stuff behind curtains, so it's unclear what they're working on.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#136

Post by cake »

jgrahamc wrote: post #19
heyrhett wrote: post #5

Why would the largest advertising company in the world want to place a screen between my eyeballs and reality?

Also, in the concept video he goes into a physical book store and selects a physical book and buys it. Surely, his Googgles would just scan the book tell him how much cheaper it was in the Google Store... Rather amused that when meeting a friend he spent time checking in to the location rather than talking to the dude. But these could be useful in situations where you don't have your hands free to hold a smartphone.…

Rather amused that when meeting a friend he spent time checking in to the location rather than talking to the dude.

I'm rather creeped out by this project. In almost all the situations presented he could have asked a freaking human instead of his glasses :

  - bookstore : ask the bookseller that's what he's here for,
 he may even give you better recommendations
  - maps in the street : ask somone
  - where is your friend ? call him
Etc etc...

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#137

Post by Erwin »

daralthus wrote: post #62
jacquesm wrote: post #37

I can see a great use of this for technical work on hardware that requires huge amounts of documentation (say aircraft maintenance). The glasses the way they're designed are smart, not in between but rather in a fixed spot and only a part of the field of view. I definitely wouldn't want a computer screen between my eyes and 'the real world' in normal day to day life. Believing what my eyes see is important to me and…

On the opposite side they could have made not another display, but a whole new tool. A new interface for manipulating dynamic content. Preferably with your hands. Eliminating objects, laptops, touch displays... However there are some clear points why did they choose this path: - they only needed to make the display tech. Everything other could come later. - the lifelogging aspect could get hyped, making the whole thi…

I don't know whether the technology is there, but I could see AR glasses being paired with a (RFID? Bluetooth?) ring you wear as a pointing device. The demo uses speech but I haven't found the Google voice search very impressive so I have my doubts.

Put it on your finger (or if a cheap and small RFID chip, glue it onto your fingernail, or even paint each of your fingernails with invisible slightly radioactive nail polish), pair it with your glasses and you can use your finger(s) as a pointing device in the AR overlay.

Depending on input resolution, the movements could be subtle -- you don't have to raise your hands as if conducting an orchestra although that would be fun to see. Wiggle your fingers to control your headset.

Or how about keyboard trousers. Invisible areas on the outside of your trousers that you can tap as a small 10-key keyboard.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#140

Post by fudged »

kiloaper wrote: post #86

I wonder how many Google Glasses wearers will become Life Loggers? I meet them at conferences occasionally. Some people actively avoid them. There's something about standing face to face with someone taking a photo of you every X seconds that people find really unnerving. I certainly do. Real time video is worse and it's very different to CCTV. How long before Google collects and mines all this video like they did wi…

I wasn't aware that "life loggers" actually exist. What sort of hardware are they wearing? Do they behave differently?
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