What Kind of Worlds Will We See Through Google's Augmented Reality Glasses?

My first thought when watching Google's demo video of Project Glass, code-name for its augmented reality glasses, was, "About what I was expecting, but cool." My second thought was, "Why the hell is a guy with augmented reality glasses that can display high-resolution text and video going into a bookstore to buy an illustrated how-to guide for playing the ukulele?"

My third thought, which I leave for New World Notes readers, is: "What kind of virtual worlds/games will we start to see once glasses like these become readily available?" Surely parallel world games like this one, in which the cyberpunk or fantasy world action is overlaid on Google Maps, but just as surely, that's just the start.

UPDATE, 12:40PM: By the way, if you haven't already, now's a very good time to read Desmond Shang's NWN guest post, "Why Augmented Reality Offers Massive Potential for SL's Great Content Creators".

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Comments

[Masami Kuramoto]

"What Kind of Worlds Will We See Through Google's Augmented Reality Glasses?"

According to that video: none at all. It's just a 2D overlay.

[Graham Mills]

The concept video doesn't really mesh with the design. Presumably the display should be scrunched into the top right corner? I'm not entirely convinced by the (presumably) largely speech-driven interface either. I suspect there's an interface to an android phone lurking somewhere but I'd really like to see a discreet forearm or wrist keypad. Three buttons would be enough. Clearly there's a strong focus on augmented reality and Siri-style services. There isn't any real sense of immersion other than maybe the screen-sharing at the end.

[Jo yardley]

I wouldn't see any world because I won't get one.
I don't even want one of those damn modern mobile phones.

What a hellish vision of the future.
People rolling their eyes at their glasses, talking to their glasses and doing lots of other things while you think they are talking to you.
Brrrrr.

[Lucius Nesterov]

'Registration' - lining up digital content with the real-world - has been the main challenge for AR from the very beginning. Google have just decided to ignore it completely.

Still, if they put some research into the hardware, then someone will find a use for it.

[Hamlet Au]

"It's just a 2D overlay."

And a lot of virtual worlds and virtual world-type games are 2D.

[Dale Innis]

Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End. Just saying'... :)

[Graham Mills]

maybe the display won't be "scrunched up"; see http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/google-glasses-real-micro-displays-20120223/