I know I’ve been talking a lot about these new cool Augmented Reality glasses Google’s Project Glass demoed recently. Even the Book of the Week (The End of Hardware) reflected the hands-free, future-is-now approach. And of course, I couldn’t help but share it with friends.
I made a very “quick and dirty” prototyping experiment: create these glasses (cardboard technology would do for now) and experiment what it would be like to have them on, all the time, and receive these kind of input, randomly: a Google map appearing when you say the words “Show me Google maps”, or icons of the weather or your social media apps to share the picture you just took by blinking.
The lovely XueTing and the ever-friendly Haozhen Qi helped me try it out. It was very interesting to hear what they said after watching the video/demo and trying on the “glasses”.
XueTing:
“It is actually how the smart phones work. And functions work like this, but now it becomes part of you. Like the machine and you come together”.
Qi:
“I really want one!”
The discussion went on:
XT: “Maybe the next step is to put it as part of your body, of your brain. You don’t need anything additional anymore. In the video, I could see how its helpful to live your life. You can record a special moment, and still meet friends physically. It shows that it is easy, but I think they show this so people can adopt this new concept, but actually we will rely on this very much. But every new technology has had its advantage and disadvantage”.
Qi: “Do you have to say the orders, or could it read your mind? I think new illegal things will appear. With technology people become lovely and more lovely towards it, but this can help share, and have new relationships with others”.
I found very interesting that it comes down to decisions, and control:
XT: “Actually you have your thoughts (you talk to yourself). The link between the brain and the body is language. Before, we linked our thoughts talking to ourselves. Now, we have this. It is good when it’s still you that makes the decision. Instead of having a servant, having a master: it shouldn’t be like this. I’m curious, but it could be scary”.
