Google Glasses

Google Goggles is a downloadable image recognition application created by Google Inc. which can be currently found on the Mobile Apps page of Google Mobile.^[1] It is used for searches based on pictures taken by handheld devices. For example, taking a picture of a famous landmark would search for information about it, or taking a picture of a product's barcode will search for information on the product.^[2]

zGoogle Goggles was developed for use on Google's Android operating systems for mobile devices. While initially only available in a beta version for Android phones, Google announced its plans to enable the software to run on other platforms, notably iPhone and BlackBerry devices.^[3] Google has not discussed a non-handheld format. On 5 October 2010, Google announced availability of Google Goggles for iPhone and iPad devices running iOS 4.0.^[4]History

[edit]Uses

Currently the system can identify various labels or landmarks, allowing users to learn about such items without needing a text-based search. The system can identify products barcodes or labels that allow users to search for similar products and prices, and save codes for future reference, similar to the failed CueCat of the late '90s, but with more functionality.^{[2][not in citation given]} The system will also recognize printed text and use optical character recognition (OCR) to produce a text snippet, and in some cases even translate the snippet into another language.^[2]

[edit]Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced in December 2011 its collaboration with Google to use Google Goggles for providing information about the artworks in the museum through direct linksto the website of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.^[5]

[edit]Future uses

Google is currently working to make the system able to recognize different plants and leaves, which can aid curious people, those wishing to avoid toxic plants, and botanists and environmentalists searching for rare plants.^[3]

Goggle applications are in the process of being used for metaverse virtual world image indexing and catalog applications. Regional coordinates are cammed by avatar-based movement in virtual camera scripted vehicles through 3D simulators in pseudo-Lévy patterns and indexed with image captures for recognition correlation of objects, avatars, and scripts in a virtual-GIS. Reported forecast is for searchable database results of the Second Life and/or OpenSimulator virtual worlds to be available as early as 3Q-2014 from imaging suppliers.^{[dubious – discuss]}

[edit]Current version

As of August 2012, the current version of Google Goggles is 1.9^[6] which adds several new features and improves both quality and ease of use. Goggles is specifically developed to run on mobile devices running the Android operating system and can be installed using Google Play (formerly Android Market).^[2]

Although developed for Android there is now also an iPhone version, as part of the Google Search app, available from the iTunes Store or App Store. Goggles requires iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 on^[7] iOS 4.0 or higher to run.^[2] In January 2011, version 1.3 was released; it can solve Sudoku puzzles.^[8]

In late August of 2012, Google launched an update to its Google Goggles app, version 1.9. This update puts an emphasis on helping users shop by including improved product recognition and new recommendations that help users browse similar products. ^[9]

[edit]Platform

Google product manager Shailesh Nalawadi indicated that Google wants Goggles to be an application platform, much like Google Maps, not just a single product. They are currently working on developing an API for Goggles, once they determine what shape it should take. They are currently discussing API ideas with outside developers.^[10]