Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#71

Post by brico » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:17 PM UTC

hswolff wrote: post #25

>“We’re sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input,” the three employees wrote. “Please follow along as we share some of our ideas and stories. We’d love to hear yours, too. What would you like to see from Project Glass?” Why would you ask that? This type of product is so different from what's available on the market that I doubt the Project Glass team woul…

They ask it because they have a cool product but don't know how to use it. I doubt it will be used the way they promote it, this is cool stuff you come up with when you are brainstorming with some friends + beer but when you think about it, it doesn't improve your life, it adds noise.

In different areas however it could be a big improvement, if you are repairing stuff with no hands free in a dimly lit area and you need info from a manual or you want others to see what you see and help you.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#72

Post by siavosh » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:18 PM UTC

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 headphones. I think amongst my friends, the almost unanimous consensus was that it was not a good social statement to say the least.

This will be a challenge, but I'm sure there's a solution.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#73

Post by ramy_d » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:22 PM UTC

hswolff wrote: post #25

>“We’re sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input,” the three employees wrote. “Please follow along as we share some of our ideas and stories. We’d love to hear yours, too. What would you like to see from Project Glass?” Why would you ask that? This type of product is so different from what's available on the market that I doubt the Project Glass team woul…

this, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denn%C5%8D_Coil

make dennu coil happen.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#74

Post by brico » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:24 PM UTC

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…

I honestly don't see a market for every day use like they show it in this video.

If I saw this on the streets right now I'd get a "bluetooth-headset-douchebag"-vibe

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#75

Post by JshWright » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:29 PM UTC

Here's an example of how I would love to be able to use (even a very basic version of) this product:

I'm an EMT (and Paramedic student). There are plenty of scenarios in emergency medicine where you're following a time based algorithm. In the example of a cardiac arrest patient, everything revolves around two minutes cycles of CPR, medications, and (if applicable) defibrillation. Even something as simple as a clock that was alway superimposed in the corner of my field of vision would be great. If it kept track of upcoming medications and other actions, that would be even better.

I think this technology has applications in technical fields (medicine, mechanics, etc), long before it will be a common thing to wear out in 'normal life'.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#76

Post by genu1 » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:29 PM UTC

pfraze wrote: post #15

mladenkovacevic wrote: post #2

Youtube promo of how it might work (is this for real or just a concept? looks too good to be true) http://youtu.be/9c6W4CCU9M4

I'm buying first gen. Then second gen. All the gens.

I want the API, now. All I can find on Google is Androids AR http://code.google.com/p/andar/ source. Any ideas about languages, frameworks, etc etc. I want to get ready now to start open sourcing.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#77

Post by ChuckMcM » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:30 PM UTC

I wonder if they use a laser to do range finding.

While asking for public input into what they should be able to do, it is clear the real value is that all Google employees can wear them, where they can stream snippets of other teams that are working on other parts of your project to you so that you can co-ordinate with your team. This should really streamline the release process, allowing groups of Googler's to get way more done than they would working alone and relying on email or other social media tools to co-ordinate. Creating dynamic hang outs, streaming the feeds of those around you, allowing for collective action against problems and to respond immediately and on target with just the right resources. A real break through in organizational efficiency.

The only hangup is that the legendary mobility of people in Google, being able to switch jobs almost at will, means that trying to hard code names into the stream is really time consuming. The current work around is to just use numbers for the groups, so if you're the group working on adding Picasa support which is group number 15 on the p pages, you might be referred to as 3 of 15 ...

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#78

Post by artursapek » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:33 PM UTC

huskyr wrote: post #43

artursapek wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Next to no choice? You're saying people will just all want this by default? I think most people will want to try this, myself included. But personally I draw the line here and I think many others will. I would never want to own a pair. This will be a niche product for those people who already use Bluetooth headsets, who are a minority.

"No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame." ;) http://slashdot.org/story/01/10/23/1816257/apple-releases-ip...

Cute winky face, but you completely miss my point. I'm not saying this is "lame," I'm saying most people won't want to wear pixels on their face. Even the most successful products get criticism, especially in the beginning.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#79

Post by watty » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:34 PM UTC

brico wrote: post #74

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…

I honestly don't see a market for every day use like they show it in this video. If I saw this on the streets right now I'd get a "bluetooth-headset-douchebag"-vibe

What if they looked like normal glasses/sunglasses? May not be possible in the first revision but certainly a possibility.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#80

Post by Someone » Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 6:35 PM UTC

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…

"but it didn't show the glasses on his face"

It did not show them on her face, either. That made me wonder whether it would, at some time, become socially acceptable or even the norm to have a video call where both parties do not see each other, but what the other is looking at. I think it might become the norm soon, if there are no technical challenges (how much stabilization do such images need? How much lag will that stabilization introduce? How will the experience be if the connection isn't good enough?)