Google's Project Glass

I can talk to my Samsung Nexus (Google) phone and have it convert my speech to text. I have Google Goggles app which allows me to point my phone's camera at objects and returns relevant information about those objects. It has Google Maps and turn by turn navigation... however, I have to carry it in my pocket or walk around with my head down risking life and limb. 

Today some Googlers posted Project Glass to Google+ "So we took a few design photos to show what this technology could look like and created a video to demonstrate what it might enable you to do." 

I'm loving it! While it's not yet real, that I know of, it's everything that I carry around today in a stylish heads up display. My only concern is that I wear prescription glasses that don't look quite as cool as the Project Glass concept, I hope they come out with a version that is equally as cool for those of us who are optically challenged.

Thought Driven Game Controller Later This Year

A US/Australian neuro-engineering company, Emotiv, has developed a game controller that gets it's instructions from your brain. Using a technology known as non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) to read neural activity, the $299 headset controller can be used to give authentic facial expressions to avatars in virtual worlds and to manipulate a game or virtual environment naturally using only your thoughts. "This is the first headset that doesn't require a large net of electrodes, or a technician to calibrate or operate it and does require gel on the scalp," said Tan Le, president of Emotiv. "It also doesn't cost tens of thousands of dollars." This is reminiscent of a very bad Clint Eastwood film, Firefox, in which a US pilot steals a super secret Russian fighter jet that is equipped with such a system... hmmm perhaps Emotiv should produce a Firefox companion game? BBC news story here.

Virtual Reality curtesy of your Wii remote!

This YouTube video was sent to me by Chris, who will someday provide some guest posts... ;-)
This heads up display using a Wii remote really has to be seen to be appreciated. the video's creator, Johny Chung Lee, does a great job of demonstrating the project, doesn't hurt that Johny is associated with Carnegie Mellon University either.