Dorks we may be, but we're just not ready for head-mounted displays to hit the mainstream -- which is why this patent application for laser-based headgear from Apple makes us cringe just as hard as the
MyVu product line. Apple wants to up the nerd factor immeasurably by putting all the image processing and generation hardware in a belt-clipped processing box, which will allow the glasses to shrink down and potentially be indistinguishable from regular glasses. Laser-generated images from the box are then transmitted to wedge optics in the glasses via a fiber optic cable, and hey -- you're watching The Office on your glasses with a processing box clipped to your belt. Can you say "coolest guy in school?" Yeah, didn't think so -- no amount of white plastic and brushed aluminum will ever make this okay. The application just went public today, so there's a long way to go before Apple actually gets this patent -- here's hoping we get a similarly long reprieve from ubiquitous head-mounted displays.
[Via
Unwired View]
posted April 17th 2008 2:34PM
It's a pair of iGlasses
Yeah, I'm starting to get tired of the iWhatever thing too... as I'm sure many are. Keep it with the iPod and iTunes, and anything directly related to them (but not accessories), just take it out of the software names, and don't name any new products with the i prefix.
I think that eventually tech-historians (which I am sure we will have), will refer to this period of time as the "iEra"
The poster of this obviously hasn't spent week after week flying on air planes. Geeky looking or not, tuning out the rest of the plane and watching what I want to watch and not some crappy movie on a bad 10" LCD screen up to 5 feet away is worth a lot to me. I'll happy pay for something that integrates into the iPod Touch/iPhone a bit cleaner than some of the glasses out there now. I'd also happily accept lighter glasses and a box for the processing. I'm not going to be walking around with these things on.
My flying time is about the only time I get to keep on on TV shows.
We hope you find a way to watch tv. Do you watch cartoons (and the people around are distracting)?
All we need now is a waist-mounted keyboard (ala Typing of the Dead) and with MS' hand-mouse patent and this glasses-monitor thing and we can finally use the computer, look ridiculous AND be a potential threat to everyone and ourselves when out and about! How awesome.
The Vuzix AV920 and my PSP-2000 are absolutely great. I love to recline on my back porch and stream from my media server However, I'm waiting for the "sunglasses" with HD. Something like Lumus Optical. Long overdue. Forget what the sheep of fashion say. HMD's are practical and make sense.
i think everyone here has forgotten teh serious question at hand; how will doom look on these?
Do you guys actually think this is going to come out anytime soon (if ever)? companies regularly patent concepts from their R&D departments, even if they have no intention of actually building the device. I'd say this one isn't going anywhere.
Hey! Brand new web software for these glasses! For free! (still Beta, Flash only) Enjoy!
www.BeMeCollective.com
The patent application describes how it creates stereoscopic images too!
Maybe it'll eventually be able to intelligently overlay graphics into 3D in your environment... to start with, that'd be the ultimate GPS navigation system! w00t
Is it bad that I would wear one of these...?