Google[x] Products
So where did we leave off? Last time
I discussed the essential origins of Google[x]. The start of the electronics
boom, the path it took to the research labs in Bell Labs and leading onto
Google[x]. In my entry I noted that the labs themselves are rather secretive,
so how to talk about a secret lab? According to Fast Company’s Jon Gertner [1]
there have been four main projects explained by Google[x]: Driverless Cars,
Google Glass, High Altitude Wi-Fi Balloons and Glucose-Monitoring Contact
Lenses. And from this I thought to myself, what a good place to start another
blog entry, so below is an in-depth view of the Google[x] main projects.
Driverless Cars:
Is it just me or does “Driverless
Cars” bring to mind that “Hell No!” scene in I-Robot where Will Smith’s
character switches from automatic mode in his car to manual mode to dodge the
incoming flying robots? Maybe just me but wow does it sound futuristic and out
of this world. That’s what Google[x] is all about, making the impossible
possible. So how did they do it and how does it work? I first heard about the
driverless car a couple of weeks ago and went on the prowl for a video where I
came across this little gem to the right:
My first reaction is probably the same as yours is right now, how on earth did they get a car to move on its own on a pre-determined path and at that speed? How do they do it? According to Erico Guizzo[2] Google have employed a massive laser range finder on the roof of the car. This combines with high detailed maps, GPS, cameras and sonar to detect every aspect of its surroundings, whether it is traffic lights, obstacles, pedestrians and so much more. These all combine to for the final product below.
Google Glass
Glass
is by far one of my favourite technologies to date. This thing has it all. It
is literally a computer that is attached to your glasses. It can send and
receive messages, navigate, surf the net, make a reservation take pictures and
the list keeps going on. This fine piece of kit will cost you no doubt about
it, but what you get in return is well worth it. As noted above this piece of
art has a lot of functions. Seen in the image below is the basic concept of how
it works.A projected image is passed through a prism and directed into the eye of the user. This image can be anything. It can be the messages you have stored or the pictures as well as running programs like navigation. All of this is overlaid onto your surrounding in a process known as augmented reality.
The interface for glass uses a neat track pad that is located on the side of the product. This controls most of the functions that can be accessed, but that’s not all, there are also accelerometers within for a number of different options like wakening up Glass and a built in microphone for voice commands and the likes.
Loons
Loons
are balloons. Big balloons. But with a purpose. Google[x] leaders took a look
at one problem in particular, the connectivity of the world, and how to achieve
it. Their solution? Loons. These massive balloons hold upon them circuitry for
the distribution of a Wi-Fi network that spans the globe.
As
noted in the video, Loons use air currents in the stratosphere to propel itself
around the place. As well as using solar energy and batteries to keep powered
24/7 it has an antenna. This antenna has the power to cover a 40Km diameter
with speed up to that of the 3G network using the ISM bands 2.4Ghz and 5.8Ghz.
this project is currently in the testing phase with hopes from Google[x] labs
to have an uninterrupted connection for testers along the 40th southern
parallel by the end of 2014
Contact Lenses
Finally
we have the contact lens. Keeping with their wearable tech research, Google[x]
have come up with a new wearable technology in the form of a contact lens. According
to Time[3] this lens monitors the glucose levels in tears using
built in technology upon the lens and send that information to your phone in
order to monitor your levels accurately as diabetics everywhere need to do. This
is a much preferred method as it does not require that nasty little needle piercing
to get a blood sample. Further hints to the technology might also include
indicator lights to tell the user when an injection is needed.
[2] http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/artificial-intelligence/how-google-self-driving-car-works
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