Google Glass project: New video tells it all

The Google Glass has been one of Google’s most intriguing projects, till date; and one that has been fairly hidden too. 

That, by the way, is not true anymore! In a YouTube video now (see below), Google has demonstrated the many ways in which users can include the Google Glass in their daily lives. While we do know that the wearer can take pictures and share them, the video gives you a peek into a whole gamut of opportunities.

The video shows scenes and sights from the eyes (oops! the Google Glass) of the wearer, and while they go about doing things, they demonstrate the features of Google Glass. Like, you can instruct the Glass to click a picture of the scene in front of you or record a video, then if you choose, you share that with a friend or a relative. The wearer has to say “take a picture” to instruct the Glass to take a picture.

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If on a busy, traffic-ridden street, or anywhere else, the Google Glass can also give out route instructions to the wearer. Interestingly, the wearer can also participate in a Google Hangout, and this way his friends and relatives can enjoy the sights and scenery that the wearer is enjoying or be part of an important gathering, despite not being physically present. 

The Google Glass wearer can also initiate Google searches, if he comes across something interesting, and wishes to know more. 

Suppose you’re in a foreign country and are unfamiliar with the local language, then the Glass can also translate your statement to the local language, as soon as you instruct it to. The wearer can also send a voice message by speaking into the mic. The Glass also lets the more curious ones ask whatever’s on their mind. 

The Glass is available in Charcoal, Tangerine, Shale, Cotton and Sky colours.  

Earlier this year, Babak Parviz, who heads the Google Glass project, shed some light on on the wearable augmented reality display in an interview with IEEE Spectrum. While he did not mention any specific features, Parviz did reveal some of its basic capabilities— you can take pictures and share them. Parviz even added that the feature set of Google Glass had not yet been finalised and that “it is still in flux.”

Parviz stated that with the Google Glass, the company was essentially looking at a device that would allow users to have “pictoral communications”, i.e. have users communicate with each other with images and video. “Right now, we don’t have any devices that are specifically engineered to connect to others using images or video. So we wanted to have a device that would see the world through your eyes and allow you to share that view with other people,” he said.

Parviz stated that they are constantly trying out new ideas as to how users can use their platform. Parviz also mentioned that they were working towards making the hardware and software more robust, so as to be able to ship it to developers early this year. 

Google has been developing the augmented reality wraparound shades for a while now. Despite making an appearance ( at a fashion show!), and there being some buzz about it, details of it remained relatively lesser known. The runway at Diane von Furstenberg’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection show at New York Fashion Week, saw a surprise entrant in Google Glass. Models sashayed down the ramp in their best outfits donning the Glass at the event.