Google Glass 3.0? Google acquires smart glasses maker North
Google Hardware's latest acquisition is North, a wearables computing company that most recently was making smart glasses that seemed like a successor to Google Glass. Google Hardware SVP Rick Osterloh announced the purchase on Google's blog, saying, "North's technical expertise will help as we continue to invest in our hardware efforts and ambient computing future."
North developed and released a pair of smart glasses called "Focals," which came the closest we've seen so far to smart glasses that looked like normal glasses. First, the company didn't neglect the "glasses" part of "smart glasses" and provided the frames in a range of styles, sizes, and colors, with support for prescription lenses. The technology was noticeably less invasive, too. Google Glass's display surface was a transparent block distractingly placed in front of the users' face, but Focal's display surface was the glasses' lens itself. A laser projector poked out from the thicker-than-normal temple arms and fired into the lens, which has a special coating, allowing the projection to reflect light into the eye.
[...] Google's smart glasses contribution was, of course, the infamous Google Glass, which launched in 2012 and basically shut down as a consumer product about two years later. (North CEO Stephen Lake actually called Google Glass "a massive failure" in a 2019 tech talk. Awkward!) Most people would think of the product as dead, but Google quietly pivoted Glass to be an enterprise product for assembly-line workers, mechanics, doctors, and other professions that might benefit from hands-free computing. New Glass hardware came out as recently as 2019, with the "Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2," which featured a modern 10nm Qualcomm SoC. With Apple reportedly building a set of smart glasses, the consumer market will probably heat up again soon.
It's back.
Also at BBC.
Previously: Google Glass 'Enterprise Edition': Foldable, More Rugged and Water-Resistant
Intel Abandons Vaunt AR (Augmented Reality) Smartglasses
Intel's Vaunt Augmented Reality Smartglasses Concept Lives on at Canadian Company North
"North Focals" $1000 Smartglasses Reviewed
Related: Apple Glasses Leaks and Rumors: Here's Everything We Expect to See
Related Stories
Stephen Hall at 9to5Google reports that the next iteration of Google Glass, known internally as 'Google Glass Enterprise Edition' is nearing final production, and it seems that Tony Fadell and his group have refocused the product away from the fashion and urban lifestyle focus it previously had, toward more practical uses in work settings such as factory floors and hospitals. As such, the new Glass has a more rugged build and appearance.
The device, similar to the Explorer Edition, has a band that stretches around the forehead, going back around the left ear. What's most obviously new at first glance is a robust hinge mechanism that allows the computer and battery modules to fold down like a regular pair of glasses, and a hinge for folding down the left side of the band as well.
The overall design of the computer side is more robust as well, built to withstand normal drops and bumps that could occur in less-than-ideal workplace environments. Sources have also said that the device is more water resistant, built with fewer places for water and other outside material to seep in. And, as to be expected from a device built for the workplace, Google has tweaked its visual aesthetic to better fit in a factory or a hospital than on a runway. It's practical and industrial, with a focus on function over fashion.
Internal changes over previous versions of Glass are also announced, including a shift to using an Intel Atom processor. This new version of Glass will not be a consumer product but made available exclusively only to Google's Glass at Work partners, after statements from Google executives that positioning Glass as a consumer product was a big mistake.
More coverage of the new Glass Enterprise Edition from phys.org, Phandroid, and TechCrunch.
Intel will shut down its New Devices Group, spelling an end to the company's Vaunt smartglasses project:
When Intel showed off its Vaunt smart glasses (aka "Superlight" internally) back in February, we had high hopes for a new wave of wearable tech that wouldn't turn us into Borgs. Alas, according to The Information's source, word has it that the chip maker is closing the group responsible for wearable devices which, sadly, included the Vaunt. This was later confirmed by Intel in a statement, which hinted at a lack of investment due to "market dynamics." Indeed, Bloomberg had earlier reported that Intel was looking to sell a majority stake in this division, which had about 200 employees and was valued at $350 million.
To avoid the awkwardness that doomed the Google Glass, Intel took the subtle approach by cramming a retinal laser projector -- along with all the other electronic bits, somehow -- into the Vaunt's ordinary-looking spectacle frame; plus there was no camera on it. The low-power projector would beam a red, monochrome 400 x 150 pixel image into the lower right corner of one's visual field, thus eliminating the need of a protruding display medium.
Vaunt is what you get when your committee is too scared of the "Glasshole" fiasco to make a useful product. People on camera could easily identify Google Glass because of its protruding head-mounted display and hardware, as well as the camera indicator light. Build the SoC and any flat buttons directly into a black frame, put small camera lenses at the hinges and/or center, use retinal laser projection or make the lenses into full field of view displays, and remove the indicator light. Then the wearer doesn't have a "Glasshole" problem (but those being viewed might still end up with a "Glasshole.")
Also at The Verge, ZDNet, and AppleInsider.
Previously: Intel Unveils "Vaunt" Smartglasses
North has acquired the patents and tech behind Intel's Vaunt AR glasses
North, the company behind the Focals AR glasses, has acquired the "technology portfolio" behind another set of AR [Augmented Reality] glasses, the cancelled Intel Vaunt glasses. The company wouldn't disclose the terms of the deal, but Intel Capital is a major investor in North and led its last financing round in 2016. Both Focals and Vaunt had the same basic idea: use a tiny laser embedded in the stem of your glasses to project a reflected image directly into your retina. Unlike other AR and VR [Virtual Reality] efforts, the goal is to create a pair of glasses you'd actually want to wear — something that looks relatively normal and doesn't weigh too much.
[...] Focals have the same basic idea as Vaunt but are actually set to ship to consumers fairly soon. The Canadian company already has a couple of stores where you can select the right style of glasses. But more importantly, you need to get them fitted, North says, because aligning the projector so you can see the image requires that the glasses be adjusted for your face.
[...] North CEO and co-founder Stephen Lake tells me that his company is acquiring 230 patents or applications along with some "technology and assets," which will mean the company should have over 650 patents by the end of the year.
[...] In some ways, North's Focals are a little more advanced than the Intel Vaunt prototypes I tried back in February. The image it displays is slightly larger and displays in full color instead of Vaunt's red monochrome. But Intel had some tech that North wanted, Lake tells me that the Vaunt team "did a lot of work in MEMs technology and the optics related to that." More specifically, Intel seems to have done a lot of work to miniaturize the display system.
Lake says that North is acquiring the patents for future versions of Focals and not to go on a lawsuit spree. "It's really about a defensive position," he says. Intel also had done work related to the core interface of using AR glasses. The patents North is acquiring cover "everything from new techniques, user interfaces, to ways to interact with the glasses."
Also at TechCrunch.
Previously: Intel Unveils "Vaunt" Smartglasses
Intel Abandons Vaunt AR (Augmented Reality) Smartglasses
North Focals Review: Stealthy, Stylish Smart Glasses
Focals are currently only available after two in-person fittings (for more on North's detailed fitting process, see our first hands-on with Focals) in their Brooklyn, New York or Toronto, Canada stores. The trip is tempting as Focals cross a huge smart glasses barrier by offering functionality in a form that stands a good (but not perfect) chance of passing for regular glasses. However, while we enjoy apps like Amazon Alexa and Weather, more apps and better image quality would make the $999 / $1,200 CAD price tag (with or without prescription lenses) more forgivable.
Focals use a Qualcomm APQ8009w system-on-a-chip (SoC), which runs on four Arm Cortex A7 CPU cores at a clock speed of up to 1.09GHz. The SoC is marketed for smartwatches, with features like Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity and a Qualcomm Adreno 304 GPU.
[...] The left arm of my review sample is bare black on the outside, while the inside subtly reads "Focals by NORTH" near the temple and "CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT" near the tip. The right arm is also bare on the outside. The inside, however, holds the holographic display projector, which uses a display technology called retinal projection to project photons, or light, or raster graphics, onto the retina. When the projector is activated, it's not visible from the outside. It projects images onto the right eye only. This advanced retina display also calls for precise measurements in the aforementioned fitting process.
On the bottom of the right arm is a small square area for connecting the charger, a small speaker/microphone and the power button.
CNet:
First came VR. Then came a wave of AR headsets that were high-priced and full of promises of wild mixed reality worlds. Apple now seems to be readying its own pair of smart glasses, at long last, seven years after Google Glass and four years after the debut of Oculus Rift. These reports have extended back for several years, including a story broken by CNET's Shara Tibken in 2018.
Apple has been in the wings all this time without any headset at all, although the company's aspirations in AR have been clear and well-telegraphed on iPhones and iPads for years. Each year, Apple's made significant strides on iOS with its AR tools.
The article dives into these topics at some depth:
- Normal glasses, first, with a normal name
- Lower cost than you'd think?
- iPhone-powered
- A world of QR codes, and maybe location-aware objects
- Apple's newest iPad has the sensor tech it needs
- How bleeding-edge will the visuals be?
- Look to AirPods for ease of use -- and audio augmented reality
- Apple Watch and AirPods could be great Glass companions
- Could Qualcomm and Apple's reconciliation also be about XR?
- Expect the iPhone to support other VR and AR, too
- Launch date: Still could be a year away
Will Apple Glass succeed where Google Glass failed?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Freeman on Thursday July 02 2020, @02:37PM (3 children)
Seriously, it's one thing to have a device that people use to make calls, take photos, etc. that can be used to record people all the time. It's also, very obvious when they do that with a cellphone. It's not obvious when done with something like the google glasses. Which is part of why people hated the idea of it. Hopefully, people still hate the idea of it.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 02 2020, @02:43PM (1 child)
This is why apple is planning to use LIDAR rather than cameras in their glasses, and some others don't have cameras at all. HMDs might end up being preeminent in the future, with "brain-computer interfaces" using portable EEG or EMG as an interface.
(Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 02 2020, @02:48PM
No cameras = shitty coward device
(Score: 4, Funny) by acid andy on Thursday July 02 2020, @03:57PM
Once a glasshole, always a glasshole.
Master of the science of the art of the science of art.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by c0lo on Thursday July 02 2020, @03:25PM (7 children)
If consumer market for smart glasses heats up, then CCTV surveillance will be a privacy heaven by comparison.
Just imagine the flood of requests for "maybe witnessing" video-clips coming from law enforcement 'because investigations'; FBI being pissed on Apple for not unlocking a phone?... bah, that's a trifle. And if you think they won't, remember they are already doing it, using genealogy/genome sequencing sites [nature.com]
Fingers crossed for this to fail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 4, Insightful) by DannyB on Thursday July 02 2020, @03:50PM (5 children)
As long as the smart glasses properly geo tag the video with GPS location, that makes it easier to query who may have witnessed something that the state wishes to persecute.
Especially if several people witnessed a police misconduct incident.
Win can we expect more amusing Karen videos. Especially the ones with extra psycho, hold the sanity.
How soon will new smart watches have cameras? While I can make and answer calls on my Fossil Gen 5, I can't do video calls. Wrist worn cameras would open interesting opportunities.
What about smart cameras concealed on people's clothing? Then the police would not know to shine a flashlight into the lens in a feeble effort to blind the camera.
The thing about landline phones is that they never get lost. No air tag necessary.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday July 02 2020, @06:01PM (1 child)
You meant, prosecute, right?
Yeah, no, persecute is definitely the right word. Or stalker might be a good one, too. Police need to do their homework, not have easy access to peer into our private lives.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 3, Interesting) by DannyB on Thursday July 02 2020, @06:43PM
I meant persecute. Prosecute is one of the mechanisms they use to do that. Extra judicial forms of punishment, such as harassment, citations, beatings and shootings are other means depending on how disrespectful one is.
More cameras are only going to hold police and Karens and Road Ragers more accountable.
But if cameras everywhere is good for the goose (law enforcement) then it is good for the gander (citizens).
Law enforcement cameras should be mandated everywhere. Not using one, even accidentally on purpose, should strip one of any qualified immunity. This serves to motivate making sure one's camera is operational and operating just as much as one might make sure their bullet proof vest is in good condition, or their firearm is clean and in working order.
The thing about landline phones is that they never get lost. No air tag necessary.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by hendrikboom on Thursday July 02 2020, @07:09PM (1 child)
A few years ago there was a riot in Vancouver. I no longer remember the reason. It might have been the aftermath of a significant organized sports event.
Most people acted decently but some significant fraction vandalized and stole.
Subsequently the police issued a public call for cell phone footage. Enough people responded that the police could identify just about every act of vandalism and theft. They spent the next few months tracking down the vandals and thieves. They did not need data from surveillance cameras.
-- hendrik
(Score: 4, Touché) by DannyB on Thursday July 02 2020, @07:16PM
I think of surveillance cameras, owned by private businesses and shops, as a defense against the police. And possibly rioters. (which are a different thing than protesters)
I have very mixed feelings about surveillance cameras owned by big brother.
We're already extremely close to having telescreens in our homes. (Alexa, turn on the living room lights.)
The thing about landline phones is that they never get lost. No air tag necessary.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Ethanol-fueled on Thursday July 02 2020, @11:42PM
We can get Trump re-elected with all the proliferation of videos of The Knockout Game and other instances of violence and harassment undertaken by a criminal minority of Blacks and upper middle-class Jews and Whites dressed in Antifa colors.
You go ahead and disband your police departments. Those cops can bail their Jew-run shithole cities and work for a city in which the police budget is actually increasing, with plenty of popular support for the police cause. Then we'll gawk smugly at what happens your self-policed progressive urban utopias as they halt and catch fire all around us.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday July 06 2020, @02:40PM
CCTVs in stores is just the price of doing business. CCTVs on every corner like in the UK, is dystopian. Smart glasses as prevalent as cellphones that are recording all the time. That's futuristic dystopian fantasies. Here's hoping we don't create said futuristic dystopian system.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Thursday July 02 2020, @03:42PM (2 children)
I predict North employees have 3 years at the most. As for me, I'll add that particular brand as one never to buy or use, along with Vuze and countless other previous Google acquisitions.
Incidentally, when is that antitrust lawsuit coming? We're all waiting...
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday July 02 2020, @06:49PM (1 child)
WWGD?
What Would Google Do?
Most likely, take an interest in this project. For a while. Then abandon it.
What's wrong here?
Google has perverse incentives. No incentive to do the daily drudge work of maintaining and improving existing products. Too much incentive to create new products. Even products that overlap with existing products. Sometimes even 100% overlap.
Result: and endless treadmill of new products making your existing familiar products obsolete. Remember Google's attempt to replace Gmail with WhatWasItCalled? a few years ago?
It's not that I'm old and set in my ways -- it's that I expect some stability in products unless there is some really good reason to discontinue an old product in favor of a new but otherwise similar replacement product.
The thing about landline phones is that they never get lost. No air tag necessary.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by acid andy on Thursday July 02 2020, @09:03PM
But what is the extra incentive they have to keep replacing their products? With Micro$oft I always said they kept changing the interface to make money on training courses.
I can understand it for products that people pay for, so they have to keep buying the replacement (like Apple do), but for free software where the customer is the real product, why risk replacing something when you already have a user base?
Or are attention spans so short these days and fads so popular that no-one wants to stick with the same product for more than a year or so anymore?
Master of the science of the art of the science of art.
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 03 2020, @02:40AM
I imagine when these things hit the market things will go south?