Google has received a patent for an automated assistant designed to provide suggestions to a user with smart glasses and adjust them according to what the user is observing or their spoken commands. Although Google was earlier developing a set of smart glasses utilizing augmented reality (AR) technology, the company reportedly discontinued its ‘Project Iris’ AR smart glasses last year, opting instead to create similar hardware for OEM partners. It remains uncertain if the company will introduce a pair of AR glasses based on the technology detailed in its most recent patent.
Google’s Assistant for Smart Glasses May Recognize Environmental Features of User Importance
In a document (via 91Mobiles) released on the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) website titled “Adapting assistant suggestions rendered at computerized glasses according to changes in user gaze and/or other user input,” the company outlines the function of an “automated” assistant that can adjust to audio and visual input supplied through a pair of smart glasses used by a user.
The company asserts that the automated assistant would be capable of providing suggestions on the display of smart glasses, and users would have the ability to choose these options using technology that monitors a user’s “gaze. ” This indicates that the device would likely include some form of eye tracking utilized by the assistant.
If a user diverts their gaze, the assistant would utilize the camera and microphone on the smart glasses to “adapt” its suggestions in real-time, based on the user’s perspective and their verbal commands, respectively.
Google illustrates a scenario in which the user is wearing the glasses while navigating an unfamiliar city. The device would suggest dining options based on the orientation of their gaze (Fig. 2B). Users could activate the assistant by tapping the glasses or employing a wake phrase.
The document states that the assistant would also restrict the number of suggestions displayed on the smart glasses’ screen, as excessive options might obstruct the wearer’s view. These suggestions may be selected through gestures or utilizing a verbal command. The patent further proposes that the assistant could interact with other applications on the device.
The company additionally explains the capacity to “offload computational tasks” to a server device, allowing the smart glasses to “conserve computational resources” — effectively extending battery life. This implies that the assistant could be operated from either the server or the smart glasses, while processes related to the assistant’s functionality could occur on either device.
