透过谷歌眼镜预见未来

LAST year Google whet the appetites of geeks everywhere when it announced that it had developed Google Glass, a pair of web-connected smart glasses that could take photos and videos, and display information gleaned from the internet. The firm said it would launch a public trial of the voice-controlled specs with a small group of developers early in 2013. On February 20th it announced that it now wants a broader group of people to join the developers peering into the future using its new technology.

谷歌去年宣布开发出了谷歌眼镜，一下吊起了全球发烧友们的胃口。这是一种新型智能眼镜，能上网、能拍照、能看视频、还能显示网上订阅的文章。谷歌曾表示希望2013年初在开发人员中启动小规模公测，以测试这款语音控制的智能眼镜。2月20日，谷歌宣布扩大测试范围，让更多的人通过这种新科技与开发人员一道展望未来。
The company has launched a website for folk who want to apply to test the Explorer trial version of its glasses and who are willing to cough up $1,500 for the privilege of having them. It has also posted a video (see below) that shows how the specs can be used in various situations, including navigating on a road and taking photos of memorable moments. Data and images are displayed on a tiny screen that appears at the top of a person’s field of vision. This is mounted in a flexible frame that also incorporates a camera, a microphone and a computer.
想要体验试用版的发烧友可以登录谷歌的专题网站填写申请，如果愿意花上1500美元，这幅眼镜就归你了。谷歌还发布了一段相关视频，视频显示这种眼镜适用于各种情景，可以用于户外导航，也可以用来记录拍照。戴上眼镜的人可以在视野上方的一个小屏幕里看到数据和图像，这个小屏幕框可以移动，而且还包含了摄像、麦克风和电脑功能。
Although its new gadget is still in its early stages and has plenty of room for improvement (not least in the design of the bulky arm that houses its battery), Google is clearly hoping that a broader field test will help it to iron out imperfections faster, as well as stoke interest in the device. It says it is looking for a diverse group of guinea pigs willing to share their experiences with the gizmo via social media.
虽然这一新装备还处于早期阶段，改进的空间还很大（尤其是眼镜腿的设计，因为要装入电池，眼镜腿太过笨重），但是很明显，谷歌希望能取得一石二鸟的效果：大范围实测可以使眼镜更快完善，同时还能吸引人们对该设备的兴趣。谷歌希望有不同类型的测试人员参与进来，更希望他们可以把心得发布在社交媒体上。
The web giant's move is another sign that the nascent market for wearable technology is developing fast. Other companies such as Japan’s Olympus are also experimenting with smart goggles and there is much interesting work being done to shrink displays even further, as Babbage has noted elsewhere. There has also been plenty of action recently in the market for smart watches that link wirelessly to people’s smartphones. Rumours have been flying that Apple and Samsung are working on web-connected timepieces and Google has also filed a patent that suggests its Glass technology could be used on wrists too. Small start-ups such as Pebble are busily churning out smart watches as fast as they can. All of this is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
可穿着科技设备的市场还未成形，但发展势头十分强劲。谷歌这一网络巨人的新动作就是最好的证明。其他一些企业，比如日本的奥林巴斯也在开发智能眼镜，正如Babbage（本博客）曾经提到的那样，许多关于缩小显示设备的有趣探索都在进行当中。最近在智能手表（可以无线连接智能手机）市场上也有许多新动向出现。有传言苹果和三星都在开发可以联接互联网的钟表产品，谷歌申请的最新专利显示，他们的眼镜技术也可以应用在手腕上。Pebble这样的新兴小公司也在尽可能的积极参与智能手表市场。这些举动绝对值得你关注。