Laforge Optical of Boston competes with Google Glass

[RAMA]

STNG becomes the inspiration for augmented reality glasses:

http://www.fastcompany.com/3026589/fast-feed/icis-aims-to-be-a-more-fashionable-google-glass

 

[Trekker4747]

Well, I certainly like the look and interface of that better than Glass. Wish them luck in getting the support they needed.

Still looks like a product I can't use as I already wear prescription eye-glasses so both Glass and this are useless to me.

 

[{ Emilia }]

I'm still trying to figure out why I'd ever need or want to use anything like this?

 

[YellowSubmarine]

I'm still trying to figure out why I'd ever need or want to use anything like this?

Snap photos of unknowing people, convince people you're taking photographs of them when you're not to drive them crazy, stalk random people you run into on Facebook, watch unclad photos of celebrities on your Glass while you're out with your significant other? So many good uses this device has.

But not to be totally dismissive, having a HUD device can be a convenience and could provide much facility and utility. They might be a presently useless (and disturbing) tool, but that doesn't mean it will stay that way forever. We will discover new uses, their capabilities improve and we will work on the problematic issues. More or less. Having an external source of visual information that follows your eyes is a step forward, and I like it. I can see them getting popular, but more importantly getting useful. It is a bit frightening, as I don't want people around me walking with cameras on their heads, but at one point their usefulness might outweigh the creepy factor.

What it will be actually used for I don't know. The future is unpredictable. Surgeons reading the manual during surgery? (We wouldn't want to disturb the patient.) Free solo climbing or BASE jumping groups sending live picture feeds to each other? (Finding sillier ways for people to kill themselves is always a nice endeavour.)

In all seriousness, it has already been shown to be of some use during surgery (for teleconsultation), and although I don't see how it is presently better than a head-mounted camera could be, having the additional visual cue of, say, patient's vitals might be helpful. There are also people who are deaf, and can't be healed with the help of an implant. Having a device that shows them the direction of sounds, warns them about loud ones, and does speech-to-text for them might be a great improvement, even if looking for a way to cure them would be money better spent. And I don't know what the guys at the transporter room in Abramsverse are using those for, but whatever it is, I am sure it is clever and handy.

And I can see myself using such one day. As long as it doesn't have fancy input using eye tracking, and instead relies on old-fashioned raised eyebrows, I'm fine with it.

 

[RAMA]

I'm still trying to figure out why I'd ever need or want to use anything like this?

Do you use a smartphone?

 

[Squiggy]

I'm still trying to figure out why I'd ever need or want to use anything like this?

I thought the same thing when they added cameras to phones. Now I take pictures of all my meals!

 

[TheSeeker]

^Makes you wonder how we ever lived without it.

 

[Trekker4747]

^Makes you wonder how we ever lived without it.

Those were dark times my friend, dark times. Wanted to take a picture you had to carry a bulky completely different piece of equipment with you, snap the picture, and then take some place and the wait a couple days to get the picture "developed." And we LIKED IT that way!

 

[JirinPanthosa]

My prediction: In five years augmented reality glasses will have an app that let's you rate a human being just by looking at them and saying a number, and anyone else with the glasses will see the average rating just by looking at them.


The most non-dystopian uses I imagine is to help quadriplegics interact with the world in ways controlled entirely by eye movements and voice commands.

 

[T'Girl]

Still looks like a product I can't use as I already wear prescription eye-glasses so both Glass and this are useless to me.

I wonder if they could incorporate prescription lens into the these, and still have them work the same?

This might solve one problem, I saw one guy laying beat up outside a belltown bar who (as the story went) would not take off his iGlasses and made it a point to everyone in the bar he was photographing them and had the right ("right?") to do so.

These at least look like regular glasses.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

It's also likely that if everybody had Google Glass the government would be able to hack into them and see through everybody's eyes all the time.

 

[Amaris]

It's also likely that if everybody had Google Glass the government would be able to hack into them and see through everybody's eyes all the time.

They'll be able to do that with these, too.

 

[T'Girl]

STING

Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take

I'll be watching you

Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you

Oh can't you see ... you belong to me

 

[2takesfrakes]

My prediction: In five years augmented reality glasses will have an app that let's you rate a human being just by looking at them and saying a number, and anyone else with the glasses will see the average rating just by looking at them.

... HA!!! Don't need no Virtual Reality Glasses to spot the most worthy hotties!

 

[Forbin]

You could wear one while driving as a substitute for a dash-cam. It'd have the added benefit of being able to turn your head to get video of the idiots next to you as well as in front of you.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The more I think about it the more I like the idea of using these glasses as a physical interface for the paralyzed.

Suppose you had a robotic arm attached to your chair. Your glasses are synced up with your chair, your robotic arm, and various appliances in your house. Stare at the refrigerator, say 'Open'. Stare at a bottle in the fridge, say 'Grab'. Maybe even stare the direction you want to go and get your chair to move there automatically. This would constitute a significant increase in independence.

 

[Trekker4747]

The more I think about it the more I like the idea of using these glasses as a physical interface for the paralyzed.

Suppose you had a robotic arm attached to your chair. Your glasses are synced up with your chair, your robotic arm, and various appliances in your house. Stare at the refrigerator, say 'Open'. Stare at a bottle in the fridge, say 'Grab'. Maybe even stare the direction you want to go and get your chair to move there automatically. This would constitute a significant increase in independence.

It could go there I'm sure with more research/development down the road but right now the idea seem to be for personal/"recreational" use.

 

[clint g]

The more I think about it the more I like the idea of using these glasses as a physical interface for the paralyzed.

Suppose you had a robotic arm attached to your chair. Your glasses are synced up with your chair, your robotic arm, and various appliances in your house. Stare at the refrigerator, say 'Open'. Stare at a bottle in the fridge, say 'Grab'. Maybe even stare the direction you want to go and get your chair to move there automatically. This would constitute a significant increase in independence.

It could go there I'm sure with more research/development down the road but right now the idea seem to be for personal/"recreational" use.

Law Enforcement and the military are certainly interested. The NYPD recently purchased a pair of google glasses to see if it could be applied to crime fighting. I guess the envision something like robocop where it can scan faces and cross-check with warrant databases.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Oh yeah, the minute facial recognition technology is perfected and a lot of people are wearing them, amber alerts are going to be channeled directly into them.