By Stephen Schenck | April 4, 2012 12:59 PM
A couple months back, we heard that Google was working on a secret new project to create some sort of Android-powered glasses, giving users an augmented reality experience that could follow them around anywhere they go. A few details were hinted at then, like how this would be a side-mounted display instead of something more fully-immersive. Until today there hasn’t been much word on the project since then, but now Google’s finally drawn back the curtain, giving us our first look at Project Glass.
Sure enough, the design prototype matches those reports of an unobtrusive side-mounted display, a stark contrast to the comparatively bulky design of those Epson Moverio Android glasses we looked at last week.
From what’s Google’s revealed, Project Glass sound like it’s still very much in early development, and what we see here only represents Google’s aspirations for the project. It’s put together a video showing some of the ways users might interact with a head-mounted system, relying heavily on voice commands.
Google’s design is pretty impressive (though some might argue a bit too Apple-y), looking like a logical extension of Bluetooth headset design instead of something totally alien. The million-dollar question is if Google could hope to cram all the technology needed to make a system like this work into such a tiny package without making too many sacrifices. We’re also praying that Google doesn’t end up using a tethered interface like Epson, of which thankfully there aren’t yet any signs. While this is all very cool looking, we still have some serious doubts about feasibility, and wonder if maybe Project Glass won’t become practical for another few years.
