Google shows off AR glasses that might make a case for augmented reality

Google's I/O presentation ended with a significant reveal: a glimpse at their newest AR spectacles. The ability to see languages translated immediately in front of your eyes, which sounds like a highly useful application for AR glasses, was the main function Google demonstrated. While much of Silicon Valley is committed to making AR glasses a reality, no one has yet proposed a really "killer" AR app that would allow you to overlook the vast range of privacy problems associated with the technology. Live translation of spoken words would be a fantastic feature.

The firm gave no indication of when they will be available and only showed them in a recorded film that didn't show the display or how you would interact with it. However, the film depicted a highly promising future for augmented reality.

"You should be seeing what I'm saying, simply transcribed for you in real-time — sort of like subtitles for the globe," a Google product manager told someone wearing the glasses in one demo. Later in the video, the speaker appears in front of you, and the translated language displays in real-time in your line of sight.

We won't know how well things perform in practice until they become actual products that we can experience. It's also unclear whether this is Google's Project Iris product, which we covered in January, or something altogether else. However, if Google's vision presented at I/O proves out, it will be extremely valuable. You may see it for yourself by clicking here.

#Google revealed a prototype for a pair of 👓 supporting real-time translation. Resemble Focals by North (acquired by @Google) #AR #GoogleIO2022

Epson Moverio offered line-of-sight subtitles since 2014.

Great use cases here to enhance everyday life 👍pic.twitter.com/2oKf2YUZBv

— Dr. Helen Papagiannis, Ph.D. (@ARstories) May 12, 2022

Before showing the video during Wednesday's I/O speech, Google CEO Sundar Pichai provided some perspective on how the business perceives AR. According to what he said, the business believes that AR may exist in a variety of places other than a smartphone.

Looking ahead, there's a new computer frontier, augmented reality, that has the ability to expand all of this much further. We've put a lot of effort into this at Google. From Google Lens to multisearch, scene exploration, and Live and Immersive views in Maps, we've been incorporating augmented reality into a variety of Google products.

The enchantment will come alive when you can use these AR features in the actual world without the technology getting in the way.

The capacity to spend time focused on what matters in the real world, in our actual lives, is what excites us the most about AR. Because the actual world is incredible!