Since Google released its innovative version of a technological wearable earlier this year, the Google Glass has made quite a splash in the headlines, while remaining relatively quite amongst the masses. A head-mounted device, resembling a pair of glasses, Google Glass allows people to surf the internet, take pictures, and see the world in a different light. But while Google perfected the concept, making a strange idea into a shocking reality, the first generation of the device was not too popular in mainstream America. The setback was primarily attributed to its high price-tag, in the thousands of dollars USD, which has made it virtually unobtainable to the average consumer.
But as with many first generation technologies, the company and the consumer were not entirely hapy with the outcome and believed that they could make it better. Looking towards releasing a new generation of Google Glass early this 2015, Google has applied for several new patents and disclosed a distinct technological shift that will likely be a part of the changes for 2015.
Amongst the two patents released to the public earlier this week show potential new changes including an added projector to the Google Glass frame, as well as biometric authentication.
"In embodiments, our wearable device includes an imager that captures eye feature images of one or both eyes of a user of the wearable device, such as while the user is wearing [it]" Google said in its patent filing abstract. "The user can then be authenticated based on a comparison of the eye feature images to a biometric template of the user. The user can be authenticated based on each of the iris images, the retina images, and the eye vein images, both individually and in combination."
"The imager can also be periodically initiated, to capture the eye feature images to confirm user presence and maintain operability of [Google Glass]."
But in spite of the nifty new tricks added to the mix, news of an even greater change broke Monday morning, Dec. 1, as sources at Google confirmed with the Wall Street Journal that there is going to be a change in the brains behind the device for future generations.
While the first version has been technically superb, fulfilling everything that Google has promised it could, the processor first developed by Texas Instruments (TI) has come at quite a cost. And while Google Glass was initially promoted as a consumer gadget, the price-tag has kept it virtually out of reach.
However, as Google looks to the development of a second generation of the innovative new device, it is rumored that a partnership with processor-developer Intel will not only boost public opinion, but also sales and a new image for Google Glass. Earlier this past year, Google announced it would be pushing for Google Glass to be used more in the work field for business, in conjunction with a new program called "Glass at Work". While Google has said that major companies like oilfield services company Schlumberger, are already using Glass to improve safety and efficiency, Intel plans to promote the next version even more in the workplace as a computing device driven towards manufacturers and even hospitals.
"We expect Glass to evolve" vice president of APX Labs, in charge of developing Google Glass software, Eric Johnsen says. "And [we expect Glass] to be more useful for companies."
"But it will still be a crossover device built for consumers."
