Must Read: Google Glass jailbreak: Let the evil commence

Topic: Google

Google's Project Glass becomes clearer as fresh details emerge

Summary: Details around Google's augmented reality glasses have been found in filings to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Sam Shead

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More details of Google's upcoming augmented reality headset have been discovered in documents the company has filed to a US regulator.

Google Glass

The documents — filed by Google this week to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — provide a closer look at the heads up display, which Google is developing as part of Project Glass, and offer new suggestions as to how the search giant's device may work. Google filed the papers to the FCC so that the regulator could inspect the proposals being put forward and check they are safe.  

A test report suggests that Google is considering a new technology to deliver sound to the person wearing the glasses that won't disturb they way they hear ambient sounds. The new technology would see traditional headphones replaced with a "vibrating element" that delivers sound to the wearer by sending vibrations to the ear via the skull.

The company filed a patent application last week to the US Patent & Trademark Office entitled 'Wearable Computing Device with Indirect Bone-Conduction Speaker'. 

The FCC documents also suggest that data will be sent to the small screen display by 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g wi-fi or Bluetooth 4.0HS, using a radio unit manufactured by Broadcomm.

Elsewhere, the documents reveal the glasses will have the ability to store video files internally and be recharged by plugging a power connector into the computing unit, which is situated on the glasses' right arm.

The FCC first tested the glasses, known as model XEB, on 19 November, 2012. 

Google previously promised that developers would start receiving Google Glasses in January 2013. Google held a hackathon in San Francisco last weekend and has another one scheduled this weekend in New York.

It also said it expected the first version of the eyewear, known as the Explorer Edition, to be on sale by the end of 2014. 

Topics: Google, Emerging Tech, Patents

About

Sam is generally at his happiest with a new piece of technology in his hands or nailing down an exclusive story. In the past he's written for The Engineer and the Daily Mail. These days, Sam is particularly interested in emerging technology, datacentres, cloud, storage and web start-ups.

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26 comments
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  • Better is the enemy of good enough BITEOGE for short

    Enough augmented reality already! I'd be willing to settle for a cone of silence that prevented others from eavesdropping on my personal conversations with my computer.

    Rather than reverse engineer features from the TV show, Star Wars, Google should get the wearable technology from the TV show Get Smart perfected.

    By the way the Biteoge slogan was coined by a Russian Admiral who wanted to produce something before the war was over. It is a call for faster, not better or perfect. Page, whose side is Brin on, Yours or Jobs?
    jnffarrell
    Reply Vote

    • Get Smart

      Because there is unfathomable pent-up demand for the shoe phone.
      jvitous
      Reply 2 Votes

    • The skull vibration bypassing the ear things already been done

      Prior art there. So have laser and infrared. And throat mics.
      Johnny Vegas
      Reply Vote

  • Wow and people use to worries about the cell phone next to there head...

    The foil hat people will have a field day with this if and when it comes out!
    GoPower
    Reply Vote

  • Google Glasses are one of the most idiotic things Ever!

    With the exception to someone who's an over the top Tech Junkie and has to be plugged in constantly, I can't see what's the appeal to Google Glasses.
    SmoothDouglas
    Reply 1 Vote

    • The appeal is that you now get

      to let Google see exactly what you see.
      William Farrel
      Reply 4 Votes

      • Criticize Google here, prop up Microsoft there ...

        And every now and take a shot at Apple. How do I get your job and how much does it pay? It sounds fun.

        Regarding your statement, I think they Google Glasses are going to be awesome. This technology or something similar has the potential to change our culture even more so than smartphones have.
        K B
        Reply 1 Vote

        • Come now K B, I have fun with them all

          I made a great Ballmer and Twinkie post the other day, I made a good Apple, and Google one today.

          Sometimes you just have to have fun with it.

          As for the potential to change our culture? Well this technology's been around for years, in one form or another,but for specific tasks that call for it, and I agree, maybe it will change our culture, but will it be for the better?

          Auto accidents have gone up thanks to another culture changing technology - texting.
          William Farrel
          Reply 3 Votes

          • hey

            hows that whole "wait til microsoft comes out with real tablets, android n ipad tablets wont have a chance" thing? yeah hows that going ms shill?
            wolfn11
            Reply Vote

          • Hey, shilln11, it's been a while

            what ever happened to your famous prediction "MS will be close to bankruptcy by Dec 2010 with Apple making a bid for them"?

            Hows that working out for you, shill? Were you even close?

            LOL!
            William Farrel
            Reply 3 Votes

          • When exactly did I predict that

            dumb@ss?
            wolfn11
            Reply 1 Vote

          • Edit

            You must have me confused or maybe you took too many drugs seeing how I joined this site last year Idiot!
            wolfn11
            Reply Vote

          • When did you predict that?

            Right around the time I "predicted" that when "microsoft comes out with real tablets, android n ipad tablets wont have a chance" thing. Comprendes?

            Though you took the bait, and answered just as I predicted.

            It was more a test on your response then anything else.
            William Farrel
            Reply 2 Votes

        • Google, no

          I see them as being another 'wave' and bombing. Can't imagine them being anything but annoying to wear.
          Thomas Georgetown
          Reply Vote

    • Why is that

      You have not said what is wrong with it. If people cannot look beyond their nose like you do, nothing in this world will change. You are like the patent office chief of 1899 who said Everything that can be invented has been invented.
      Van Der
      Reply Vote

      • Is this a new strategy drempt up by your corporate overseers?

        In the past, anyone who even suggests that Google or Apple is not above board on a particular event or product was labeled as some one with some hidden Microsoft related agenda.

        It now appears that just commenting on a Google article is enough to have one attacked as some Microsoft related shill.

        Is this a new directive handed down to you, Van Der?
        John Zern
        Reply Vote

        • Welcome constructive comments

          @John Zern
          I have no monetary connection with Google. But when some one says "Google Glasses are one of the most idiotic things Ever!" without any explanation, then it is definitely not just commenting on a Google article.

          Nor I attacked this person as an MS shill, while you are calling me one.

          Is this a new directive handed down to you, John Zern?
          Van Der
          Reply Vote

  • Soon you'll have the ability

    To see ads plastered all over your field of view.
    Tony_McS
    Reply 1 Vote

    • Silly as usual

      because it is not invented by your beloved MS
      Van Der
      Reply Vote

  • With in a week of a release ....

    ... Google will find themselves spending huge amounts of money due to lawsuits.

    As a "gadget" this looks cool. But cool and practicality are two different things. This is not only an accident waiting to happen, it is a guaranteed accident in the making.

    One week ... that is about as much as it will take for the early users to get into a horrendous accident using this crap.
    wackoae
    Reply 1 Vote
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