According tostring - theoryadvocates , our universe of discourse has at least 10 dimensions . But we humanity can only directly perceive three spatial dimensions . We also live the transit of sentence , a 4th proportion . Beyond that , we only cognize other dimensions are even possible through theoretical math . Our world may hold mystery that we will never be able to observe directly .
Even if you disregard string hypothesis and the idea of dimensions beyond our perception , our earth hold a wealth of information that most of us are n’t aware of in our day-to-day life . When visiting a urban center for the first meter , for example , we may only have our smoke to rely on when gathering information . A smartphone or computer can help out , pulling in more data about the city ’s geography , history , economics , culinary art and other cultural feature .
Augmented - realness applicationsoverlay a story of digital selective information on top of the physical world around us . With an one of these apps on your smartphone , you might be able to check your phone ’s camera up to appropriate the image of a city street and then receive on - screen information about your surroundings .
While theseaugmented realityapps can be informative and entertaining , the shape factor is still a little clumsy . We have to hold up the smartphone and see at the screen – it ’s like you ’re on a " Star Trek " outside team , and you ’re the one with your eye glue to a tricorder instead of toast in the sights .
Google is one of several companies creating a resolution to the trouble comes in the form of a wearable twist . It take care like a couple of glasses with one side of the frames thicker than the other . It ’s called Google Glass , and it might open your optic to a new digital globe – or make you look like the nerdy Terminator who ’s always pick last for robo - dodgeball .
The Birth of Google Glass
One ofGoogle ’s many division is call Google X. Descriptions from visitant make it voice like it ’s adequate portion computer lab and mad scientist ’s lair [ rootage : Miller and Bilton ] . Projects at Google X take on big problems in engineering . Everything from networked homes to space elevators gets a stab within the lab . One of the many projects the division work out on is Project Glass .
Back in April 2012 , a Project Glass explanation appeared on Google ’s social networking chopine Google Plus . The score ’s first berth revealed the purpose of the project – to build up a wearable computer that facilitate you " explore and divvy up your world " [ source : Google Glass ] . The post included a concept video of what the labor – a pair of glasses – might be able-bodied to do in the future .
In other Wiley Post and article , Google released more details about the glasses . Some versions had no crystalline lens . What all versions did have was a thick-skulled area of the physical body over the right eye . This is where Google put the screen for the meth . To front at the screen , you have to glance up with your eyes . The placement was crucial – put the screen in your unmediated line of vision could lead in some serious refuge job .
It was n’t long afterGooglereleased the conception picture that people got a chance to see a pair of the glasses in literal lifespan . Google co - founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page wore the gamey - tech specs to event in tardy bounce of 2012 . And at the Google I / O event on June 27 , 2012 , Google gave attendees a thrilling presentment of the technology .
The Google I / O took place inside the Moscone Center in San Francisco , but the first part of the demonstration was outside the construction . To be more specific , it was a few thousand feet above the edifice . Google had outfitted a sky dive team depend upon in a blimp with Google Glass , and had mark up a Hangout – a video schmoose on theGoogle Plusplatform – with the team . Footage from the Glass cameras caught all the action . The squad jumped from the blimp and maneuvered so that they landed on the roof of the Moscone Center .
The demonstration did n’t terminate there . Expert bicyclists , also wear down Glass , did tricks on top of the Moscone Center ’s roof until they make the edge of the construction . Then , a world wearing Glass rappelled down the side of the building and handed off a package to another biker . That biker tissue through the conference shopping centre to get to the microscope stage and pass on the software off to Sergey Brin .
The audience watched the whole affair bechance on a giant screen as footage from the various glasses play out in front of them [ source : Google Developers ] . Afterward , members from the Google X squad in charge of the task talked about the doctrine behind the eyewear . Brin then returned to the stage to foretell that Google project to ship a developer duo of the glasses bid the Explorer Edition in early 2013 for $ 1,500 . That ’s still the cost of the Explorer trash , but it may not be the terminal price for Google Glass once it hits the oecumenical consumer marketplace .
What Google Glass Does
Upon launch of the Explorers beta programme , Google Glass owner could use their specs ' eyeglasses to :
As of the publication of this article in early 2014 , Glass ca n’t overlay digital information on top of physical localization . But imagine looking at a building and seeing the names of the businesses inside it or glancing at a eating place and being able to take a peep at the computer menu . With the right coating , you could apply twelve of filter to provide different character of info .
For instance , let ’s say you ’re in London , sporting your snazzy Glass glasses . You take a feeling at the new Globe Theatre and inquire for more entropy . You ’re given choice – do you want to learn about the account of the original Globe Theatre ? Would you wish to learn about the new version that opened in the 1990s ? Or possibly you just need to see what production are currently running on the degree this season . Google Glass could potentially provide you all of that information .
Looking even further into the future , you might be capable to use Google Glass to help you keep track of the people in your biography or learn more about the multitude you meet . With facial acknowledgement software andsocial networking , it ’s possible you could take a look at someone you ’ve just play and see their public profile on any phone number of societal platforms . ( If that vocalise potentially creepy to you , you ’re not alone – we ’ll talk about the criticisms of this feature in a act . )
Google Glass is tightly bundle with chip , sensing element and feedback gimmick . Let ’s take a face under the hood – or , rather , behind the lens .
What makes Google Glass work?
If you were to take aside a Glass , two thing would likely happen : You ’d bring out the components that make the glass work and you ’d feel a abstruse sense of regret for ripping apart a $ 1,500 gadget . as luck would have it , other people have already done this on your behalf .
There are a few different way to hold Google Glass . One is by using thecapacitive tactile sensation padalong the right side of the glasses . The touchpad responds to changes incapacitance , which is fundamentally a sapless electrostatic discipline generated across the screen . When your finger makes contact with the panel , a controller poker chip detects the result change in galvanic capacitance and register it as a tactual sensation . Swiping your finger horizontally allows you to pilot menus on the equipment . Swiping downward on the touchpad backs you out of a choice or , if you ’re at a top - level menu , puts the eyeglasses in sleep mode .
Another fashion to ascertain Google Glass is through voice commands . A mike on the glasses piece up your spokesperson and the microprocessor read the commands . You ca n’t just say anything and expect Google Glass to reply – there ’s a set listing of commands that you could use , and nearly all of them get going with " OK , Glass , " which alerts your drinking glass that a dictation will presently follow . For representative , " OK , Glass , take a depiction " will institutionalise a statement to the microprocessor to snap a photo of whatever you ’re looking at .
As of former 2014 , the processor in the Explorer reading of Google Glass is from Texas Instruments . It ’s an Open Multimedia Applications Platform Saratoga chip ( OMAP ) . These microprocessor chip belong to a great compartmentalisation of microchips scream systems on chip . That mean there are multiple constituent figure out together – in this case , an ARM - based microprocessor , TV processors and a memory interface . agree to Texas Instruments ' specifications , the chip is able of playing television at 1080p solving and 30 frame per secondly .
The chief tour table also put up a SanDisk flash drive for remembering – 16 G ' worth of storage , though only 12 GB are available to the substance abuser . A ship’s company called Micron Memory ( formerly know as Elpida ) supplied the active random access memory ( DRAM ) chip . These chips provide not only storage for media and apps , but also the memory that the microprocessor chip requires to range programs on the Glass .
While you could utilize Google Glass to take photos and video without having it tie to the remote humanity , to get the most from the product you ’ll need to connect to the Internet . The two ways to do that are over Bluetooth ( link up to some other twist , such as a smartphone ) or WiFi . A single crisp inside Google Glass provides funding for either character of connector . Another silicon chip , the SirFstarIV , is a ball-shaped positioning organisation ( GPS ) microchip that leave Google Glass to determine its location via satellite signaling [ source : Torborg and Simpson ] .
Cameras, Speakers and Sensors, Oh My!
While the guts of Google Glass are interesting , the most oculus - fascinate constituent is the optical prism - similar screen . When turn off , it looks like a clear optical prism . Viewed from the top , you may just make out a diagonal product line that bisects the optical prism ’s width . This diagonal business line is where the prism has an angled layer that acts as a reflective surface .
Images from Google Glass labor onto the reflective surface in the prism , which redirects the light toward your center . The images are semi - transparent – you could see through them to the real man on the other side . As of other 2014 , the resolution for the display is 640 by 360 . It ’s not precisely high definition , but at such a closemouthed space to your eye it does n’t come out to be dispirited firmness of purpose .
If you expect just to the side of the display toward the outer sharpness of the glasses , you ’ll see a camera lens . accord to Google , the photographic camera can take photos with a solvent of 5 megapixels . It can also capture video recording at 720p resolution .
The speaker on Google Glass is abone conduction speaker . That stand for the speaker sends shakiness that move through your skull to your inner pinna – there ’s no need to plug in auricle buds or wear headphones . Using the photographic camera and speaker together countenance you to make video conferencing calls . Just know that the person on the other ending of the business will be seeing what you ’re seeing since there ’s only a forwards - facing camera on the glasses .
Also on board the looking glass are a proximity detector and an ambient light sensor . These sensing element aid the glasses figure out if they are being worn or removed . you could pick out to have your Google Glass go into rest style automatically if you take them off and arouse up again when you put them on . These sensors can also detect if you take an action such as winking , which spread up the selection to send command such as " take a picture " just by giving a big wink . ( Yep , there ’s absolutely nothing creepy about that . )
One last sensor inside Google Glass is the InvenSense MPU-9150 . This chip is an inertial detector , which means it detects motion . This comes in handy in several applications , including one that allows you to fire up up Google Glass from sopor mode just by tilting your head back to a predetermine slant .
All of these chips and features call for power to work . That power is provided by a battery house in a full subdivision of the stalk . It fits behind your right ear . It ’s a lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 2.1 watt - hours . Google say that charging the battery lead just 45 minutes when using the blame cable and plug that come with the glasses [ informant : Torborg and Simpson ] .
Short-sighted glasses?
Not everyone has greeted the news of Google Glass with enthusiasm . Some , like Internet security expert David Asprey , have voice vexation about the product and its entailment
Part of Asprey ’s catch stems from the wording of Google ’s terms of service for Google Drive , a cloud - storage service . include in those term of serve is this passage [ informant : Connelly ] :
At first coup d’oeil , this makes it go like any data you hive away in Google Drive efficaciously becomes Google ’s property . Google congresswoman say this is to allow Google to exhibit your datum in different ways [ source : Google term of Service ] . have ’s say you ’ve upload a file to Google Drive and you choose to make it publicly available . When people search for terms interrelate to your Indian file , that file should show up in hunting effect . This part of the terms of inspection and repair gives Google permission to expose part of that file within the search result themselves .
Asprey ’s point is that the wording of terms like this one seems to give Google more control over user data than it should have . He also points out that withfacial recognitionsoftware , the glasses could put forward concealment issues .
And then there are concerns that receiving social networking updates in your subject area of imagination could impair your power to do other job , such as driving . Google ’s reception to this reaction was to indicate out that the blind in Google Glass eyewear is set at the top of the frame , requiring you to look up with your eyes to see it . You should n’t have to care abouttext messagesor pop - up ads obscuring your aspect as you wear the glasses .
Even with the Explorer program in full gear , it ’s too former to say whether these concerns are warranted . It may be that the glasses never make it to consumer shelves . But privacy exponent warn that we should think about the potential consequences now , before they become real problem later .
Google spokesperson have already addressed some business concern and say they welcome feedback . It ’s likely that the consumer rendering of the meth – accept the undertaking gets that far – will be different from the prototype versions . Perhaps by then , Google will have find a manner to countenance the great unwashed dive into a data - rich environment while still protect their privacy .
I want a pair of these glasses as soon as I first heard hearsay of them . I ’m an entropy junky . I bang the idea of exploring the world with a brace of glasses that can give me information about every aspect of my surroundings . In the summertime of 2013 , I start out the chance to become a member of the Explorers programme and leap at the chance . When I have on them around normal , other mass spend about as much metre taking exposure of me wearing Glass as I expend taking picture with my Glass . It ’s obvious that I ’m not the only soul fascinated with this engineering !
