‘Super Brain’ Software to Add Functions to Google Glass

Since the device was first announced, the halls of the Pentagon have been buzzing with the possibility of using Google Glass as a wearable computer for troops. Even though a launch date for Glass has not been set, software firms have rushed to create technologies that expand the device’s capabilities.

An Israeli startup company called Infinity Augmented Reality is developing software that acts as a “super brain” by pulling in data from a user’s computers, smartphones, tablets and social media accounts to automatically provide pertinent information via Google Glass or other digital eyewear platforms.

The functions of Google Glass are currently limited to basic computing tasks such as sending emails, watching videos or browsing social media. Infinity’s platform would allow Glass to branch into “augmented reality,” where real-life happenings are supplemented with virtual data, such as facial, voice and mood recognition. 

Infinity’s technology would enhance a Glass user’s experience by collecting data, figuring out what the user needs to know, and then presenting it in an easily digestible format, said Enon Landenberg, president and CEO of the company. For instance, if a user has a meeting at a certain time, the software can alert him when he should leave and then show the way to the nearest parking lot.

The company has developed prototype software that is scheduled for launch as early as April, he said. The software will allow Glass to able to count calories of any food that is eaten and provide facial recognition, among other functions. The company is working on adding other features before its release.

The software will be distributed via an application, Landenberg said. The company is also working with hardware manufacturers to preinstall it on devices.

Landenberg is skeptical that militaries will be interested in Infinity’s software, which was developed for a commercial market. However, it could inspire similar technologies that are purpose-built for troops.

“I am quite sure they can make use of part of what we’re doing,” he said. “The military wants their own technologies, and they’ll encrypt [them] in their own way.”  

Militaries are more likely to prefer technologies that operate over closed networks, he said. “This is not the way we’re developing our platform. It’s all about sharing and aggregating data from public sources.”

Topics: Business Trends, Science and Engineering Technology