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Google Glass API Documentation

developers.google.com

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Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#71
post #50
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See the work of Prof. Steve Mann, specifically "EyeTap". I understand one of his ex-students is on the Glass team, however "an entirely new kind of device" it is not. It has a heritage of ideas and implementations that are around 30 years old.

It would be easier to take Steve Mann seriously if he would just release more/any schematics.

Take him seriously about what? That he has built the devices he claims to have built? That he actually wants widespread wearable computing?

Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#72
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Glass is an entirely new kind of device; to have good ideas I think we need to wear it and experience the world through it. The API is fairly constrained, but so is the device (eg always in the field of view ). And strict constraints, when enforced for good reason, often lead to interesting products (eg Twitter).

See the work of Prof. Steve Mann, specifically "EyeTap". I understand one of his ex-students is on the Glass team, however "an entirely new kind of device" it is not. It has a heritage of ideas and implementations that are around 30 years old.

That's true, but Glass is the first time something like this has been mass-produced. It's clearly a version 1 product, even though there have been other people doing similar stuff before glass.

Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you go out and buy a pair at a store right now?

Can you go out and buy a reel-to-reel tape recorder at a store right now?

Yes.

(http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Akai-GX-4400D-Reel-To-Reel-Tape...)

What do I search for to buy a wearable computer?

Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#74
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you go out and buy a reel-to-reel tape recorder at a store right now?

Yes. ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Akai-GX-4400D-Reel-To-Reel-Tape... ) What do I search for to buy a wearable computer?

(You go out to the Ebay store? Can you tell me where that is?)

My point was, just because something isn't for sale in stores right now doesn't mean it never existed. As far as I know, Steve Mann's EyeTap glasses have never been for sale in stores, but kaolinite's argument was just silly – hence my comment.

If you don't like the 'reel-to-reel tape recorder' example, imagine I said 'enriched plutonium'.

Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#75
The specs on the display are pretty bad. In the API examples, the one with the most text is the shopping list with 5 lines of short text. I want to look at longer text on a HUD device. Is this a limitation in the ability to create HUD hardware with higher resolution. Also, can someone with experience in this area explain the pros / cons in the "how it appears" spec? I'm talking about the spec where they say "looks like a X size display X distance away" Here's 2 HUD specs:

Glass: 640X360 25" HD display from 8 ft Vuzix M100: 400X240 4" mobile screen at 14"

If I place a ~4" mobile device 14" from the top right of my field of vision, I think I could live with that amount of obscured vision, but is it feasible to create that with 720p resolution? Why would you want a 25" display 8ft away? That seems like it would just be good for placing display ads and not really for most useful things aside from quick notifications.

Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#76

I've been a Google Glass skeptic. But I just got back from Mexico, where I was walking all over waving my phone at various signs so Word Lens could translate them for me... skeptic no more! Word Lens is a killer app for the platform. Except now I see that there's no API to access the camera. Seems like a huge mistake.

One of their example API uses includes users taking photo's with the built in camera and sharing them with your service. See "add a cat to that" https://developers.google.com/glass/stories

If the app has to take a photo at the user's behest everytime a word needs to be translated, it's going to be very clunky very fast.

The whole point of technologies like Glass is that they should be as unobtrusive as possible and just work by themselves when you need to.

Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#77
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Akai-GX-4400D-Reel-To-Reel-Tape... ) What do I search for to buy a wearable computer?

(You go out to the Ebay store? Can you tell me where that is?) My point was, just because something isn't for sale in stores right now doesn't mean it never existed. As far as I know, Steve Mann's EyeTap glasses have never been for sale in stores, but kaolinite's argument was just silly – hence my comment. If you don't like the 'reel-to-reel tape recorder' example, imagine I said 'enriched plutonium'.

My point wasn't that it didn't exist because it wasn't in stores but more that taking a device like that to mass-market is a much bigger challenge that making it for one person (not that I am saying his work isn't incredible).

When discussing UX and how this will affect the general population, this technology is basically brand new.

Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(You go out to the Ebay store? Can you tell me where that is?) My point was, just because something isn't for sale in stores right now doesn't mean it never existed. As far as I know, Steve Mann's EyeTap glasses have never been for sale in stores, but kaolinite's argument was just silly – hence my comment. If you don't like the 'reel-to-reel tape recorder' example, imagine I said 'enriched plutonium'.

My point wasn't that it didn't exist because it wasn't in stores but more that taking a device like that to mass-market is a much bigger challenge that making it for one person (not that I am saying his work isn't incredible). When discussing UX and how this will affect the general population, this technology is basically brand new.

Fair enough, I agree.

Re: Google Glass API Documentation

#80
post #50
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See the work of Prof. Steve Mann, specifically "EyeTap". I understand one of his ex-students is on the Glass team, however "an entirely new kind of device" it is not. It has a heritage of ideas and implementations that are around 30 years old.

It would be easier to take Steve Mann seriously if he would just release more/any schematics.

Check his book "Intelligent Image Processing" for info on the EyeTap, plus lots of other interesting stuff.

(edit: typo)

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