Google continues to expand its Project Glass testing with more employees getting the chance to try out the connected specs. TheVerge noticed that at this week’s Google+ Photographers Conference a number of images taken with Google’s glasses were shown off and are of much higher quality than previous samples. Additionally, the first video capture from Project Glass hardware is available for viewing, illustrating the type of video capture that’s far more difficult to take with a smartphone.
The 15-second video is embedded here in a Google+ post and was taken by someone wearing the prototype glasses while doing flips on a trampoline. The video quality of such action isn’t stellar, but it’s not bad when you consider the hardware is in constant motion and the lighting is variable. Here’s a screen cap:
I see that the video is available in 720p format, suggesting that Project Glass supports high-definition video recording. It’s clear to me that Google is working on the image capabilities of the hardware as most of the snapshots in the Google+ post show vast improvements from prior examples.
It’s interesting that so far, most of the Project Glass news is on input technologies, such as image capture. The concept was originally touted with more focus on output; providing useful, quick information at a glance. I noted this when the project was announced, saying:
“Touchable user interfaces have reinvented how we use mobile devices, but hardware design is advancing to the point where the interfaces are starting to disappear. Instead of holding an iPad or other tablet, people are interacting directly with an app, Web page, photo or other digital object in a reduced interface, with either voice or minute gestures. In essence, such glasses would allow people to digitally interact with the physical world around them without a device or user interface getting in the way.
Clearly, there’s no interface in the way of capturing images here, as a button tap is all it takes to snap photos. And although Project Glass will provide output in the form of directions, data and other information, the camera will clearly be a large factor when it comes to input, although a microphone will surely supplement it. Based on that, it makes sense to me that we’re seeing so much about the camera capabilities of the project.
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