2.2 Subtitle Glasses - A Concept
The concept product I'm proposing is the integration of speech-recognition technology and turning those into subtitles on the user's glasses. The speech can also be translated from one language to another. I realise that this idea might make people recall the failure of Google Glass, but I think my proposed subtitle glasses can learn from Google's mistakes and create something that people want to use.
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As I was doing research on Google Glass, I came across a recent product from the company North, which has made Focals, the newest offering in the smart glasses category (CNBC, 2018). These smart glasses use a laser bounced off a piece of photo-polymer material built into the glasses' right lens before heading into the user's eye. Focals can tell users the weather, read text messages, and are connected to Alexa, since a large part of the funding of this project comes from Amazon. Focals have no camera, and the microphone only listens when activated. Focals also use a discreet ring controller, rather than having users constantly reach up to touch their glasses whenever they need to use them.
Bibliography:
CNBC. (2018). These prescription smart glasses tell you the weather, read text messages and connect to Alexa. [online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/10/23/norths-focals-smart-glasses-first-look.html [Accessed 29 Nov. 2018].
Noble, Safiya Umoja and Roberts, Sarah T., Through Google-Colored Glass(es): Design, Emotion, Class, and Wearables as Commodity and Control (2016). Media Studies Publications. 13.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/commpub/13
The key concern for Google Glass was privacy, especially with its camera facing the public, recording anyone the wearer comes into contact with, without their prior consent.
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| North Focals |
For my proposed product, I want to use similar technology to what Focals use, and integrate an audio listening and closed-captioning system, which can also translate from different languages to the user's preferred language. This is a scientifically viable product, as it combines existing software and hardware.
Target consumer group:
1. People with hearing impairments.
2. People travelling who want to understand foreign languages
User Scenarios:
1. A user with hearing impairments chooses the subtitle glasses instead of a hearing aid or cochlear implant so it's more discreet. This user can also enjoy movies at the cinema that do not already come with closed captions.
2. A travelling businessman wants to attend a conference in Europe, but many of the keynote speeches are in a language he does not understand. With the subtitle glasses, the user can have the speeches auto-translated.
Similar Previous Solutions:
As mentioned previously, North Focals, Google Glass, as well as existing voice recognition and translation technology already exist, and can potentially be combined into this new product.
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| Concept of what it would look like to read from the subtitle glasses |
1. People with hearing impairments.
2. People travelling who want to understand foreign languages
User Scenarios:
1. A user with hearing impairments chooses the subtitle glasses instead of a hearing aid or cochlear implant so it's more discreet. This user can also enjoy movies at the cinema that do not already come with closed captions.
2. A travelling businessman wants to attend a conference in Europe, but many of the keynote speeches are in a language he does not understand. With the subtitle glasses, the user can have the speeches auto-translated.
Similar Previous Solutions:
As mentioned previously, North Focals, Google Glass, as well as existing voice recognition and translation technology already exist, and can potentially be combined into this new product.
Bibliography:
CNBC. (2018). These prescription smart glasses tell you the weather, read text messages and connect to Alexa. [online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/10/23/norths-focals-smart-glasses-first-look.html [Accessed 29 Nov. 2018].
Noble, Safiya Umoja and Roberts, Sarah T., Through Google-Colored Glass(es): Design, Emotion, Class, and Wearables as Commodity and Control (2016). Media Studies Publications. 13.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/commpub/13
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