Google Reveals 'Project Glass' Augmented Reality Specs

Google have officially lifted the veil on their rather science fiction-styled Augmented reality eyewear, going by the name of 'Project Glass.'

The company's research division has created a Google+ page for the project, allowing to give updates on the progress of development.  While it has been said we could see these by year's end, even The New York Times said we could be seeing them this year for the average price of a smartphone, we wouldn't hold our breath for a release until at least 2013.

The G+ page has revealed that the glasses have already gone into testing, and they're running Android, making for an interestingly possible set of dynamics and conditions for app developers to tend to.

But if Google has its way, we will start wearing some very science fiction-like glasses by year’s end.  Beyond this, a concept video has been released to help visualise their intentions.

But of course, one of the primary questions is going to be about the design of the device.  As you can see, the video's shot in first person to sneakily dodge answering that question; but the pictures above show lens-free frames with a thick rim for the hardware and a small projector on the right hand side (in white or black), possibly being reinterpreted as the digital evolution of the monocle.

“We’re sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input,” Google X employees Babak Parviz, Steve Lee and Sebastian Thrun wrote on the project's Google+ update. “What would you like to see from Project Glass?”

A good question indeed.