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Google Glass might be a controversial point of discussion in the media (and not just because of how it looks; more on this later), but what about the future? Recently, we looked at Machine to Machine Communication and the Internet of Things, both of which are fundamental building blocks towards a world of ubiquitous computing. This could be described as a “post-desktop” paradigm whereby interactions and data processing between us, computers and everyday objects are all seamlessly integrated and largely invisible. Exciting stuff.

Photo by Antonio Zugaldia

What is Google Glass?

For those unaware, Google Glass is an augmented reality headset created by Google’s ‘secret’ research and development lab. It’s essentially a wearable computer with a tiny display which Google claims is akin to viewing a 63 cm monitor from a distance of 2.5 mtrs It supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, has a microphone, voice recognition system, small touchpad and a camera with 720p video capability. The display is said to feature object-recognition working with a graphical overlay, but its true functionality is fuzzy at this stage.

The current headset looks like a variation of the one worn by Geordi in Star Trek: The Next Generation, but Google is said to be in discussions with eyewear manufacturers including Ray-Ban to combine the tech with trendy design. Early renders of potential styles make the technology appear considerably more viable from a fashion perspective.

From a practical perspective, Google product manager, Steve Lee, claims tasks that take around 60 seconds to execute fiddling around with a smartphone could take 2 to 4 seconds on Google Glass. Given that Glass uses voice, movement and vision for its inputs, this is a believable claim – depending on the task at hand.

The Panopticon Problem

Every Google Glass wearer is carrying a web-linked video camera wherever they go, and directing it wherever they look. Understandably, this raises serious issues regarding privacy. It already feels like more of our privacy is being chipped away every year, so imagine if everybody was walking around with Google Glass. You would have entire conversations, events and embarrassing episodes, filmed, uploaded and shared all over YouTube in real time.

So what’s the panopticon problem? A panopticon is a type of building designed in the 1800s using optical principles to create a prison where all inmates could be seen at any given time from one spot, without knowing whether or not they were being watched.

Google Glass isn’t just a minor shift in personal and organisational privacy, but a complete societal game-changer, an issue which has many organizations quite concerned.

Potential Uses for Google Glass

The practical benefits of having an advanced optical overlay in your line of vision at all times are as numerous(less over-the-top word) as they are fascinating. Potential uses for this technology may include:

The ability to upload and view house blueprints for easier DIY tasks
Immediate medical alerts and directions to the patient for doctors
Emergency services announcements and updates
Other navigational uses including full GPS functions
Directions to desired shops or services in the local area
Comparative shopping and item reviews when considering a purchase
A replacement for instruction manuals in consumer products
Refining sports techniques such as golf swings
Endless military applications
Finding a friend’s face in a busy crowd (an app which is currently under development)

At this stage of its development, Google Glass is still really a glorified media device, so most of these potential uses are some way off, bringing us to our final point.

The Future of Wearable Computers

In spite of various niggles Google Glass is almost certainly a major step towards ubiquitous computing. Perhaps Google will successfully integrate the technology with fashionable sunglasses or reading glasses, making it less conspicuous to wear.

Another possibility is a Silicon Valley competitor beating Google to the first widely adopted device of this nature. Google Glass is expected to be commercially available towards the end of 2013, but Sony also has similar patents filed and Apple and Microsoft are likely contenders too. The first developer of a technology is not necessarily the most successful at implementing it.

Other fascinating advances are on the way, such as Fujitsu’s new display which can read, manipulate and interact with data-containing objects such as magazines in real time. We can only hope that one day we’ll all have the kinds of user interface experiences featured in the Minority Report, though hopefully, without all those scary adverts. Then again, Google is primarily an advertising company…

At the LX Group we have a wealth of experience and expertise with IoT devices, and can create or tailor just about anything from a visual sensor to a complete Internet-enabled system for you – within your required time-frame and your budget. For more information or a confidential discussion about your ideas and how we can help bring them to life – click here to contact us, or telephone 1800 810 124.

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. LX specialises in embedded systems and wireless technologies design. https://lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

Consider for a moment the rapid rate at which technology has advanced over the last ten years. Computers have made the switch from cumbersome desktops to lightweight laptops, cellular telephones no longer simply make calls but can actually mimic the performance of desktop computers of a decade ago, and now, even the laptop is in danger of being cast in the shadow of even more powerful portable devices including touch-screen tablet computers.

Interface Revolution
Now consider this. As demand for these products grows and companies rush to deliver the next great innovation, the pace at which advances can occur simply cannot continue if the concepts do not change. What this means in the field of computing and electronics is that the processing power no longer offers great innovation just by gaining a little speed and computing ability. Users are already at a point where they don’t know what to do with the power they have at their fingertips. What is needed is a new direction that will offer greater utilisation of the power available today. Enter the decade of the electronic interface revolution.

GUI to You
An interface is anything that allows a user to interact with a tool. Perhaps the most popular interface is the Windows Operating System. Windows, and its Graphical User Interface (GUI), allowed non-expert users to easily interact with computers for the first time, and led to the revolution in computing that continues today. The next step in the evolution of electronic and computer interfaces are tools that do not require direct input from the user but rather sense a user’s actions and translate that into commands.

Take as an example the Microsoft Kinect system for its XBox game console. The Kinect basically consists of an array of sensors, including cameras that can see what a user is doing physically and interpret that into computer commands. Other game console makers have been paying attention and most either have a similar product available or in the works, and most industry experts agree that the concept of the joystick and keypad controllers will soon be a distant nostalgic memory.

Sensor This
If you have a smartphone, you also have an example of these “hidden” interface sensors. By simply rotating your phone or tablet computer 90 degrees in either direction, you easily change the view from portrait to landscape. This requires no thought or specific action on the user’s part other than the natural motion of changing the object’s orientation. A gyroscopic sensor in the device senses the movement and reacts accordingly. The same interface sensor also makes many other features possible such as circuitry than can automatically detect that a person has fallen simply from the phone’s acceleration. This is the new world of medical alert products.

Manufacturing Power
There are two reasons why innovations in hidden interfaces continue to grow rapidly. One, as has already been touched upon, is that electronics manufacturers have reached a point where electronic processing power exceeds the device’s other capabilities. The second, and no less important reason, is that users can’t get enough. Devices can’t simply be faster and more powerful; they have to do more and do things never before done. Since it’s consumers that drive sales and thus product development, this will be the focus.

A Battery’s Story
Another area where interface sensors will help electronic functionality is in battery consumption. Obviously the best use of battery life occurs when the device is in a sleep or low-power state when not in use. The problem is weighing convenience with practicality. A new class of interface sensors can quickly determine when the device is about to be used and power it up without the user’s input. This will make the devices both quicker to power on when needed and power down when they are not. Anyone who works with portable electronic devices knows what an important issue battery life is.

Sensors also work well in controlling displays. Light sensors easily adjust screen brightness according to ambient light and glare. This makes it easier to view a display and also plays a pivotal role in battery conservation by automatically dimming power-hungry displays when extreme brightness isn’t needed.

Light Years
In the next few years, users can certainly expect to see an array of new interface sensors in their electronic devices, as well as novel uses for devices such as cameras that are already pervasive. By the time the iPhone 7 comes out, you can count on a wide array of gyroscopes, light sensors, infrared beams, motion-detecting and recognising cameras and many other components that will allow the next generations of electronics to offer a user experience unlike anything we currently know.

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.