...How? I mean, there's prior art all over: Steve Mann (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Mann) has been doing this kind of thing since the '80s!

Their specific design and perhaps some of their technologies might be patentable.

But yeah, lots of prior art on the ideas and even some implementations exist. Another source for what was/is obvious to those of ordinary skill this art would be the Wear-Hard Archives (http://www.haven.org/mailman/listinfo/wear-hard). I miss the days when that list was more active.

Even their specific design is pretty close to some old Mann hardware (http://www.glogger.mobi/userpub2.php?username=mann&i=201..., which I've linked to...well, it's "below" currently).

Never knew about that list; time for an archive trawl, I think. Thanks!

Similar to a degree, but I can't tell from Google's publicly shown designs if they are even going for the eye-tap paradigm. So far the camera and display are spatially separated and one has to look up from a scene to see the display.

Though I suppose they may be thinking that common use-cases will involve rotating one's head down a bit while maintaining one's line of sight, similar to "looking over one's glasses", which would bring their screen between the user's eye and what one is looking at.

The article has no links, but I'm assuming they're referring to the patents linked in this article:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/google-glasses-design-pat...

These are design patents, meaning they protect the look of the glasses, NOT any of the functionality.

Even then: http://www.glogger.mobi/userpub2.php?username=mann&i=201...

Still think this project needs to be rebranded "Googley-Eyes".

The potential applications of this technology are pretty awesome - I just hope that we don't see Google ads superimposed on every blank surface we look at.

Why would they put them over blank surfaces? They could put their ads over billboards and other ad surfaces that are already around you? That way you like them for not increasing the net number of ads you see, and they get to act as gate-keepers for all other ad forms.

That's a good point. I guess I was more concerned that other companies (or unscrupulous app developers) might abuse the ability to place ads anywhere. As long as Google exerts strict control over ad policy and placement, it's a win-win like you said.

And they already have relevant patents, in a different arena: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_could_soon_augme...

I've actually been waiting for such a functionality for ages - except I would use it to adblock everything, even in real life.

No more pesky ad noise == quality of life significantly improved.

Yet again, Steve Mann was there first: http://cyborganthropology.com/Diminished_Reality

Sorry for the monomania, but the man really did pioneer a huge chunk of wearable computing and AR.

That is nice. Time to read up a bit about this man. Thank you.