Google has revolutionized our approach to technology in an incredibly short period of time. Since the company’s conception, our access to information and how we regurgitate knowledge is vastly different to how we researched and shared knowledge in decades past. However, the company has not limited its progress to the Internet realm. Amidst numerous projects the company is working on, most publicized at the moment are its new Google “reality glasses.”
According to an article published in TIME Sunday, “Project Glass,” should the glasses be successful and released to the consumer market, it will take how we use computer technology to an entirely new level. We are constantly bombarded by personal technology throughout the day. If we aren’t at a desktop computer, we are sending emails and surfing through Facebook profiles on our laptops. When we are away from our computers, we rely on our smartphones. Now we could potentially have “Google glasses” that allow us to surf the Internet, take pictures and relay information literally in front of our very eyes.
Theoretically, this leap of technological progress could be great. Imagine a world where you can set reminders, take pictures and even engage in a video conversation without taking out a single electronic device. On the other hand, these glasses are an open invitation to an increase in car accidents as distracted pedestrians and drivers get caught up in their virtual worlds. Furthermore, it begs the question – Who will be taking pictures of us on the sidewalk without our knowledge, using solely their glasses?
Hopefully, the actual interface won’t be as intrusive to one’s vision as we imagine. The whole concept of human beings getting swallowed by technology is reminiscent of Ray Bradbury’s vision in “Fahrenheit 451,” a vision that saw humans becoming more and more detached from reality and engrossed in cold facts and raw information.
Unfortunately, while the prospect of having this technology developed and ready to release to consumers is exciting, it may not be a question of whether the technology is ready for us, but whether we as a society are ready for the technology. There is vast potential for “Project Glass,” but we have to ensure that we can put such powerful technology into rational perspective.
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