Google is set to work on the inherent problems with augmented reality (AR) technology during a testing drive for a new portable device, quite similar to glasses. With its Glass AR glasses, the business already has a considerable presence in the AR technology sector.
Google will officially evaluate the glasses with features for navigation, translation, and narration, in the near future.
The AR prototype resembles a standard pair of spectacles but exhibits digital data within the field of view of users. The testing session will be participated in by Google employees, along with some handpicked external testers. The testing will take place across the US, at a number of undisclosed places.
Google’s group product manager, Juston Payne, wrote about the new product in a blog, saying that efforts of real-world testing can help the firm gain firm ideas about how the device performs in different traffic and weather conditions. According to Payne, the main reason for conducting the tests outdoors is that external conditions cannot be mimicked in indoor settings.
Google did not provide much information about the new AR glasses prototype. However, it did reveal that the new device is set to have in-lens displays, mics and cameras.
According to J.J. Lechleiter, PTC vice president, the compact form factor of the AR glasses can potentially result in them having fewer features. The Vuforia platform, developed by the Boston-based tech company, enables businesses to utilise AR to carry out worker training sessions, product promotions, and field technician assistance.
Lechleiter remarked that if Google intends to follow the sunglass-type design model, there will be some restrictions related to the camera parts and display types used in the device.
AR glasses, which are less cumbersome than AR headsets like Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 or the Magic Leap 2, are currently available from a number of suppliers. Google released the Glass Enterprise Edition 2 glasses several years back, and a handful of other brands have also released their own products, which are capable of displaying text, audio and video content. But, these devices are not able to show three-dimensional hologram imagery like those from makers like Magic Leap and Microsoft.
In its testing release, Google laid an emphasis on privacy. It mentioned that the prototypes will not give its testers the ability to record videos or click images. It stated that the device will utilise visual data to carry out menu translations and provide directions to those speaking foreign languages.
The gadget will also safeguard confidentiality by preserving just the information required for research and troubleshooting. Google has already mentioned that it will remove personally identifiable information such as vehicle plates. Spectators can make a request that the tester removes any picture data that records them.
Google appears to have relearned how to set up device privacy the right way, following some issues back in 2013, when Glass was made available to customers. Individuals rebuked Glass users who wore the equipment in public. It had to do with concerns that the lenses of the device were being used for spying reasons. Such concerns are now being alleviated.
According to Google, testers will not be permitted to commute, handle heavy equipment, or engage in sports whilst wearing the devices.
