Developers Begin Hunt For a Killer App For Google Glass 155
holy_calamity writes "Companies large and small are working to create the first "killer app" for Google Glass, the wearable display to go on sale later this year, reports MIT Technology Review. Evernote is among large companies that got early access to prototypes and has been testing ideas for some time, but is staying quiet about its plans. Meanwhile new startups with apps for Glass are being created and funded, although uncertainty about whether consumers will embrace the technology has steered them towards commercial and industrial ideas, such as apps for for doctors and maintenance technicians."
x-ray, duh (Score:1)
virtual or not.....
or straight out of Dilbert, imagining being able to shoot torpedoes and such at people annoying you....
on a more serious side, if they had the ability to track multiple moving objects you could have all sorts of uses.. even for the blind by simply outing audio. They would be less obtrusive than a dog
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outing audio
Is this some sort of automatic gaydar you are proposing?
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porn during meetings, duh (Score:2)
who wants to look at ugly regular people nekkid?
actually, this would require tethering to handheld touchscreen device, since you don't want to be shouting "Next Porn Vid!" during a meeting.
Privacy and etiquette (Score:5, Interesting)
>"although uncertainty about whether consumers will embrace the technology"
Personally, I think people are rude enough with their phones (and even tablets) as it sits now. I can't imagine it with a bunch of people with those stupid things on their heads. Now they can even look at you and still not be looking at you.
Then add the aspect that someone looking at you wearing one is "recording" or at least "analyzing" everything seen and heard and sharing it with Google or whomever is quite invasive. It is one thing to give away your own privacy... and quite another to violate the privacy of everyone around you all the time.
And please don't bother replying to this with crap like "but you are in public". It doesn't matter if you are in public or not. And quite frankly, sitting in a booth at a restaurant with a few friends, there is way more than a reasonable expectation that your conversations, your body expressions, what you are wearing and eating, etc are not shared with Big Brother or the entire world.
I will try to keep an open mind. But I doubt I would be comfortable with people using those around me. It is beyond spooky. And I can't imagine I am alone. So that might be the answer to the summary's question about if consumers will "embrace" the technology.
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I'm with you 100%. I hope restaurants ask people to take these off or leave. No different than a guy with a camcorder panning back and forth, or a smart phone doing obviously the same thing.
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http://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/07/18/227234/mcdonalds-denies-profs-claim-staff-attacked-him-for-wearing-digital-glasses [slashdot.org]
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Well, I imagine that they would be slightly "rude" than phones and tablets, but not by much:
As the screen is positioned near the top of the eye, you would still be clearly able to tell quite clearly when the person is looking at you and when his eyes jump upwards towards their small screen (unless you on a significantly elevated surface),
They would not be recording all the time either - I imagine that would just kill the battery life. In fact, given that the batteries on these are bound to be rather small,
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Axe is a very crude approximation - you know those commercials aren't real right??
"Its very hard to function in society when every single person you meet is trying to manipulate you and has more Intel then a cold war spy beureau."
agreed, but it's hard to see this NOT happening and relatively soon. Counter-measures will need to be employed. Security will become paramount.
Re:Privacy and etiquette (Score:4, Interesting)
I see a growing market in clothing with integrated IR LEDs.
Re:Privacy and etiquette (Score:5, Interesting)
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This is the single best idea I've heard of regarding this technology so far and not one that immediately came to mind for what ever reason. I also suspect that people like the GP and myself would accept the technology if it was for a legitimate need like CC. Its far more likely to be used for voyeuristic purposes and I think that is what is objected to.
I remember the iPhone app that translated signs you pointed the camera at from a couple of years ago. Not sure if that was real or not but that's the other
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> the iPhone app that translated signs you pointed the camera at
It's real, I've played with it.
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"Personally, as a guy with hearing loss that's really cutting into those handy consonant sounds above 2000 Hz, I'm thrilled at the idea of real-time "closed captioning" placed under each speaker. "
Albeit my hearing is not that bad, I'd prefer the built-in Picasa compare their faces to the database of sex-offenders, criminal record holders, persons who do have a FaceBook account and other low life and alert me to the fact.
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I'm thrilled at the idea of real-time "closed captioning" placed under each speaker.
Translated closed captions for foreign vacations!
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Do what I do: never leave the house.
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Now they can even look at you and still not be looking at you.
Actually, it's very clear when a Glass user is looking at their display vs looking at you. In order to look at the screen they have to look up and to the right. When their eyes are focused on you, they're looking at you. When their eyes are focused somewhere above your left shoulder, they're looking at the screen. (I've had the chance to play with one for a few minutes.)
Then add the aspect that someone looking at you wearing one is "recording" or at least "analyzing" everything seen and heard and sharing it with Google or whomever is quite invasive.
I like the idea of having a continuously-recording camera on my head. I don't want it to save everything because that would just be a huge
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um, another device does this.
http://looxcie.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/65/related/1 [custhelp.com]
"Looxcie's Capture to Buffer feature that let's you "go back" and grab video moments from the past. Often times when recording you will see something that just happened and want to grab what you just saw.
In this case, you are simply accessing the last 30 seconds of our continous video buffer to create this "instant clip"."
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I'm so with the parent on this one.
If this were a standalone product that uses my smartphone or even a small wearable computer for its data processing, I would be totally thrilled and would've probably pre-ordered one already.
But the simple fact that it will share everything I see with a 3rd party is enough to make me not want them. Both for my own privacy and that of others around me.
Re:Privacy and etiquette (Score:4, Insightful)
While I agree that wearable computing will have many drawbacks just as you describe, there will be benefits as well. It is not a black or white issue.
Consider a world where no child will be able to bully another without leaving irrefutable video evidence, or a world where no public servant will be able to act like a thug or a rude asshole without leaving a video trail. Consider a world where no supervisor will be able to sexually harass a subordinate without having video evidence sent straight to the subordinate's attorney. And for that matter, consider a world where accusations, true or false, will no longer depend on one person's word versus another's.
Most anti-social behavior takes place in private between two people (perpetrator and victim); by effectively taking away that privacy, you are exposing that perpetrator's behavior to the world. There's the old saying of "an armed society is a polite society", and when everyone is effectively "armed" with video surveillance tech that sends data straight to the cloud, the bullies and low-lifes of the world will indeed be forced to be more polite, whether they like it or not.
The world of wearable computing will indeed be very different, and there will good and bad aspects to it, just as there is with any transformative technology. But that world will be inevitable in any case, because the technology will be too cheap and useful not to be exploited in every conceivable manner.
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when everyone is effectively "armed" with video surveillance tech that sends data straight to the cloud, the bullies and low-lifes of the world will indeed be forced to be more polite
Not when the bullies are the ones making the laws - and making laws to bash innocent people who commit victimless crimes (e.g. prostitutes) ... I can imagine your world, throwing increasingly more such innocent people into its jails.
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Prostitution is perfectly legal in many parts of the world. And the law protects prostitutes.
But yes, I figure you're an American and unware of this fact.
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they just yank the glasses off first, then ground them into the dirt with their boot
nothing changes
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Except you can't yank the glasses off everyone looking in your direction as well.
It's really back to the old days when Google Street View captured people walking out of porn shops and other "undesirables" causing Google to have to censor everyone's faces to prevent recognition.
OTOH, the killer app for Google Glass would be bible thumpers - think about it - they could just situate a bunch of people around store
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If photos are recorded and uploaded to the server every 2-3 seconds, an attacker would think twice before approaching his victim.
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Random Blackout (Score:5, Funny)
If you want something beneficial to the wearer instead, how about a targeting reticle?
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Real life Joo-Janta 3000 peril sensitive sunglasses! The estate of DNA will have your hide.
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A good "killer" app would be to randomly black out the display for a second or three, particularly when GPS indicates a speed greater than 60 mph
FYI, the glass display doesn't cover a significant -- or particularly important -- portion of your field of view.
Face labeling (Score:4, Insightful)
So I don't need to remember my best friends' names.
Sarcasm aside, pasting people's names over their heads would make Dale Carnegie warm all over. It would be useful for bosses, politicians and other people who need to fake caring about others.
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Except people won't because they are too busy and absorbed in their virtual world to interact with people around them.
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Many people I know come to me and tell me that they initially thought I was a cold bastard. Turns out it's just that I have a really hard time remembering names and even conditions about how I previously interacted with them. Once they get to know me, they realize I really care for my friends and am genuinely a good guy (just a bit on the quiet side) that they like being around.
It gets better the more I interact with them, but it's always a struggle for me.
I would love to have an unobtrusive heads up disp
if you know you should know their name (Score:4, Interesting)
Apologize and ask for the name, they'll be hurt and say "john"
then say, "No, I'm sorry, your last name"
they'll be relieved and supply the last name
there, you've got both, and they're relieved....
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So, for those of us who can remember exactly how many times we've met someone but never manage to remember names, what's the maximum number of times this trick works before they catch on? Eight? Nine?
#Tagging (Score:2)
Admit it, we want to tag people (things too, but mostly people).
So we see someone whom we perceive to be a douchebag, we can tag him as #AbsoluteDouche and every body will know, when they view that person, that he has been tagged as such, and be prepared to deal him pre-emptively.
Relevant XKCD: http://xkcd.com/796/ [xkcd.com]
Also, relevant, if you have seen the anime Eden of the East [tvtropes.org], it revolves around a cellphone app with a similar tagging feature.
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So we see someone whom we perceive to be a douchebag, we can tag him as #AbsoluteDouche and every body will know, when they view that person, that he has been tagged as such, and be prepared to deal him pre-emptively
How is that different from online bullying? I have this feeling that somehow you'll be one of the first to get the label.
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I didn't say it was *nice* or that I *want* it to happen, it's just a prediction of what I think people will put the Glass to use.
Whatever the killer app is (Score:2)
it had better be real killer. Otherwise I don't see people spending $1500 to buy this thing when they already own smartphones and desktop computers.
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Maybe Hans Reiser could come up with something.
Fast video record on command (Score:5, Interesting)
For me, the killer app for Google Glass is obvious. I want to be able to activate high resolution video recording in an instant, either with a single spoken word or a gesture/shrug.
I have had many instances while driving/walking/jogging when I've seen some imminent accident/collision/crime where I needed a picture right now and not three seconds later. Fumbling for your cell phone camera takes too long; the moment has passed.
Give me that capability and I'll be an early adopter.
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this.
I've always hated how slow some camera apps are, when i want to take a picture i want it to take the picture the same microsecond i give the command, not 1-3 seconds later...
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I have had many instances while driving/walking/jogging when I've seen some imminent accident/collision/crime where I needed a picture right now and not three seconds later. Fumbling for your cell phone camera takes too long; the moment has passed.
Are you sure "fumbling for your cell phone" isn't what caused the accident in the first place?
I kid, I kid...
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I have had many instances while driving/walking/jogging when I've seen some big ol' titties/whaletail/overall hot chick where I needed a picture right now
FTFY
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I have had many instances while driving/walking/jogging when I've seen some big ol' titties/whaletail/overall hot chick where I needed a picture right now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UjcqCx1Bvg&t=38s [youtube.com]
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Clearly POV (Score:3)
Parolees and those out on bail (Score:2)
Someone is going to try to market a version of something like this as add-on or replacement for the ankle bracelet. Allows for a lot more monitoring.
That's easy, pattern recognition based AR apps (Score:2)
Add horns to the tops of people's heads.
Analyze body shape based on the clothes and then re-draw without them.
Color the sky polkadot.
Play Where's Wally? in VR,
Have an animated Mitt Romney stalk women in your line of sight.
No end to the apps once you have fast/live pattern recognition.
There may even be really useful things to do with Glass, you never know.
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aww we have another oblivious one, re-draw where? in the corner of your eye? Google Glass DOESNT do video overlay,
Not full screen, that's true but... (Score:2)
eye sight damaged by Google glass? (Score:1)
History (Score:3)
The 'killer' app is likely to involve PoV porn.
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Like overlaying size and color matched boobs on every woman you see?
Yeah that's pretty creepy.
There is no problem (Score:1)
Language translator like Word Lens (Score:2)
If it has video overlay.
They already have it (Score:3)
is called Ingress [ingress.com].
Unless they meant killer in another context, an augumented reality FPS should work too.
Software developer (Score:3)
Think about this: you're coding a nice algorithm. Meanwhile your goggles read your code and suggest improvements.
Needless to say a copy of your code is sent to Google and patented even before you press "compile".
It's Manna time (Score:2)
Looks like it's time for Joe Garcia to automate the first Burger-G as in the sci-fi short story Manna. [marshallbrain.com] The only question is... when will Google buy Australia? Or is that somebody else's problem?
help playing pool (Score:2)
I can think of a few apps...social intel ftw! (Score:2)
1) Threat meter (h/t to Omen from my WoW days). An app that scans public databases to build a threat profile (criminal and civil convictions, restraining orders, presence on sexual predator lists, bankruptcies, etc) and tags each person in view with their threat level and the axis of the threat. There are companies that do this right now; HR departments routinely engage their services to screen potential employment candidates.
2) Snopes-o-matic. Parses assertions from people you are conversing with an
Their R&D need to discover the internet... (Score:3)
All you have to do is read all the papers from Prof Steve mann and Prof Thad Starner. The two guys that INVENTED the technology that Glass is based on. Both of them have been wearing the real first prototypes for well over 2 decades now. and they both already figured out the "killer apps" that need to be written.
Come at me, bro! (Score:1)
Come on, Slashdot loudmouths! Let's hear all the "obvious" apps you'll all be complaining are obvious a few years from now.
No, I want to know what they are now, not after the fact, if they're so obvious.
They Live app (Score:1)
My Killer App... (Score:4, Insightful)
...would be translation, à la Google Translate. When I was in Japan on a vacation, I would have killed for something like that! Imagine having signs that you look at translated. Or menus, comics, etc.
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What you can "see" is wrong! :-) I have indeed translated little snippets of Japanese with Google Translate. Yes, it is often terrible, but it also is frequently useful, for example I tried it on a sign in Kyoto and it translated it as "not cross". Knowing quite a bit about the structure of the Japanese language and how much it leaves out relative to English, it was easy to guess that what it would be in English is "Do not cross!". I also found various other useful snippets. As Google Translate is base
Too bad it's only available in the US. (Score:2)
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Assistive device for the deaf (Score:2)
Sales, Police (Score:2)
Police will use it to search for wanted criminals. They will have about 1000 local wanted posters downloaded on their phones. Google Glass will check everyone's face against those 1000 photos in real time.
Two words (Score:1)
Eye-tracking control (Score:1)
Who wants to control the Glass using your voice? No, I want to control it using my eye movements, so that people don't know what I'm doing.
Presenter view (Score:1)
3D map of the habitable world (Score:2)
No need to use a "street view" car anymore.
Face in a crowd application (Score:2)
Use the goggles to identify and point out a face in a crowd.
David Brin has LOTS of killer apps in Existence (Score:2)
Excellent Science fiction on many levels.
Takes a while to get started, but he really pulls it together.
Duh. . . . HUD display for bicycle riding. (Score:2)
Bicycle HUD display. Speed, Heart Rate, Rear View display . . . THAT is SOFUCKINGCOOLMYMINDCANTHANDLEIT.
Think kids (Score:2)
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Why can't your "dev tool/editor" do that? Why the need to have an additional device do this? It's a classic looking for a problem for our solution.
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Well - the actual original post is a solution looking for a problem isn't it ?
Google glasses - looking for some problems to solve ?
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Yes, but now you will be able to detect syntax errors in all of your printed physical copies of your code!
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It would when you're leaning over the shoulder of a cow-orker and pointing out his mistakes.
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What does bestiality have to do with Google Glass?
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awww how cute, you are one of those people perpetuating Google Glass lie about video overlay
THERE IS NO OVERLAY, there is small square in right top corner of your right eye.
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Alcohol/Bar industry (Score:5, Funny)
Need beer goggles
Better yet, an app that shows which women in a bar have the highest basal temperature indicating fertile time and willingness to breed.
It could be modified to show which have had the most to drink in order to save you money. Perhaps there could be a ratings system linked to a database to see which particular preferences and mileage are involved and any disease. The point of technology is to save human time and effort so it can be expended toward more fruitful pursuits.
This is legitimate and a giant step for mankind that should receive a lions share of startup and government funding, providing benefits for all.(friends with benefits , that is)
Save the short run, spend in the long run (Score:3)
Go ahead, save a buck by finding the girl who has had 8-10 drinks already
who will be the ones needing the most drinks on your dime for future outings.
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Go ahead, save a buck by finding the girl who has had 8-10 drinks already
who will be the ones needing the most drinks on your dime for future outings.
I think he is looking for a one night stand.
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Sorry, been there, done her.
NEXT!
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Need beer goggles
I would think anti-beer-goggles would be preferred. The more drunk you are the uglier it makes everyone look. That way your brain does its thing and everyone returns to normal.