Google Applies for Patent on 'Bone Conduction'; Likely for Google Glass Audio

[dgstorm]

Speakers? We don't need no stinking speakers! That's what Google might be saying with Project Glass, aka Google Goggles. Apparently, they just filed a patent application for a "bone conducting" design that will transmit audio in a unique way using a "vibration transducer" to help keep your conversations private. Industry speculation suggests Project Glass will be the likely target for this invention. Here's a quote with some additional detail,

Unlike earphones, which others can hear at certain volumes, bone conduction brings complete privacy and is more convenient. With the inclusion of at least one "vibration transducer," there is no need for the user to have direct contact with the speaker on the device. Instead, the ear hooks and the nose pad, which do touch the user, will be used to pass any vibration-based audio to the person wearing a Google Glass unit.

Last month, the chatter around the device was that it was designed to send audio directly to the mastoid process. The patent application is for a "Wearable computing device with indirect bone-conduction speaker." Of course, this doesn't mean that Google Glass will include the bone conduction method to pass along audio, but with the patent application, it means that Google has been working on such a system. And it actually seems that bone conduction technology would be a perfect fit for Google Glass.

Will the wonders of modern technology ever fail to amaze?

Source: PhoneArena

 

[J515OP]

Bone conduction is nothing new but it is a smart integration for Google Glass. The future can't get here quick enough!