Google Glass is that hot new piece of tech everyone wants to try, but it’s availability is extremely limited so far, mostly because you just can’t buy one, but even if you could, the only people who can wear them are those with perfect vision, since the whole Glass is a replacement for actual glasses. Google has been saying that a prescription version of Glass is being worked on, but nobody knew when or how was it being designed, could it be a module that goes on top of regular glasses? could it be a special version you had to order specifically for you? According to a new patent filed by Google called “Wearable Device Assembly With Input and Output Structures”, it’s a little bit of both, and the description fits to what Glass already is: “an electronic device for use with a wearable structure configured to be worn on the head of a user.”
The device appears to be a full structure pair of glasses, but without the camera/display module like the current model. The heads-up display, camera and the rest, are in an attachable module that you can stick to the side of the mount with magnets. What the patent doesn’t say is whether you’ll be able to attach the module to any pair of glasses or if you need to buy a special version compatible with the Glass module. However, there are some hints that the special version will be needed, since the patent suggests two foldable arms that include the battery, circuits and communication antennas. This arms would go behind your ears, just like with the current model.
Google specified some materials that could be used for the construction of the device, such as aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, nickel or gold, apparently, they’re covering all the bases just in case they need them. The patent also covers Google’s idea to offer the device in many colors and designs, with different retail packages combining the modules and the frames, so you can pick anyone you want and combine them and this would allow glasses manufacturers to come up with their designs by just adding the correct magnets on the side.
We know that Google has the goal of hitting the market with Glass by the end of the year, but there’s been no word on possible pricing, so far, Glass is in beta testing by developers who are starting to create the ecosystem while helping Google define the product. Google also went so far as to add Google Glass as a possible device for downloading apps in the recent Play Store redesign, so we’ll probably see a Glass specific section added to the store when the device hits the market, or quite possibly sooner than that.
Would you wear Google Glass if you could simply attach it to your current glasses? or rather, if you could detach it when you don’t want or can’t use them?