Google patented keyboard

Google received a patent describing a wearable device that could project the control panel and keyboard to various parts of the body. It is reported by the technology blog Quartz.

The drawings accompanying the patent suggest that Google’s engineers have figured out how to project information into the palm of the user. We are talking about a wearable device in the form of glasses: most likely, Google Glass.

The patent provides for several keyboard options: only numbers to dial a phone number, or a full set of characters in the usual Qwerty layout to type text. The size of the projection may vary depending on the surface of the palm.

The projected keyboard will adjust to the arm movements for maximum user convenience. At the same time, the camera of the wearable device will learn to distinguish which hand the user has chosen as the display, and which hand is typing, so that there is no confusion.

As the authors of Quartz note, this invention could solve the problem that no augmented reality glasses could cope with. While it’s difficult to interact with glasses: the reason for this is the small size of the buttons on the device itself and the need to additionally use a smartphone.

A Google spokesman in the techno-blog commentary warned Quartz authors not to draw conclusions about the device based only on published patents, and noted that the team, "looking at the drawings," was working on the project.

16 June, the company patented a new design of a wearable device in the form of glasses, which was significantly different from the original prototype of Google Glass. In the new version, the display and camera moved to the inner side of the glasses, the asymmetry characteristic of the prototype disappeared, the arms became the same width, and the line of their attachment to the lenses became smooth.

Sales of the prototype of Augmented Reality glasses of Glass Explorer Edition ended on January 19 (started on April 2013 of the year). The creators have promised to submit a new version of the glasses as soon as it is ready. The date of the possible release was not named.