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Get off your phone and remember what it's like to smell the Roses. The Google[x] team just released a video about a speculative project tentatively called Project Glass that challenges users to imagine a world that not only brings information to you, but encourages you to continue interacting and living in it. Although the mockup of the actual "Glass" is not that impressive, the possibilities that augmented reality could bring to product and UX designers are infinite. Although it reminds us a bit of the Microsoft "Productivity Future Visions" video we shared late last year, it doesn't stop us from getting excited. What would you design if Project Glass was a reality? How would it shape your day-to-day reality? (See more images of Project Glass after the jump)
From Google[x]:
We think technology should work for you—to be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don't.A group of us from Google[x] started Project Glass to build this kind of technology, one that helps you explore and share your world, putting you back in the moment. We're sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input. So we took a few design photos to show what this technology could look like and created a video to demonstrate what it might enable you to do.
Please follow along as we share some of our ideas and stories. We'd love to hear yours, too. What would you like to see from Project Glass?
Comments
Concepts like this aren't design, they're masturbation: fun but ultimately unproductive. Real design is problem solving within the constraints of physics, financing and customer need. This, at least in my experience, always more interesting and challenging and ultimately more impressive when something really great makes it to the market.
Specific to this concept the use of this seems to be for primarily Google's benefit and less so for the end users.
In response to James, concepts like these are the motivation that bring exceptional designs to reality. I would argue that a design like this is no longer constrained in the same technical limitations that was once present with augmented reality propositions, as this field is growing rapidly. The main feasibility issue I am concerned about is the selection process the Project Glass uses. How does the individual actually accept or reject a call without the use of voice activation? While voice command is definitely useful at times, there are times when it is insufficient.
I find this design direction to be a step in the right direction, but I would like more information on how the interactions of the navigation function.
I'm oddly interested in this concept because I had a fever-induced dream/nightmare about the very thing about half a year ago. They do attempt to solve a problem - integration of search/mail/info into the daily experience - but create as many problems and distractions as they purport to solve. Want to try driving with these on? And if the non-success of Google Goggles is any indication it will be a while before this concept becomes real.
I have glasses so this would be a bit difficult. But then again I would have hd video :P. First pic looks like the frame hits users eyebrow.