Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Google Patents Glove For "Seeing With Your Hand"

Posted by samzenpus on from the touching-is-believing dept.

theodp writes "Is Google Couch Search about to go Beta? GeekWire reports that Google co-founder Sergey Brin is among the inventors listed on a patent issued to the search giant this week for 'Seeing With Your Hand', using a glove with sensors for viewing a room or controlling a computer with gestures. From the patent: 'When a small object is lost, for example, underneath a couch, humans naturally put their hands under the couch to locate the lost object by touch. While gathering information by touch is in some cases an acceptable substitute for seeing, in many situations it may be desirable to 'see' the inaccessible environment to better gather information.'"

10 of 58 comments (clear)

  1. No one is going to wear a glove to control a PC by assemblerex · · Score: 3, Informative

    Imagine people waving their single gloved hand, like so many Michael Jacksons.

    This is about patenting and limiting gestural control competition.

    1. Re:No one is going to wear a glove to control a PC by game+kid · · Score: 3, Funny

      Imagine people waving their single gloved hand, like so many Michael Jacksons.

      Between that and the inevitable Power Glove comparisons, you could say that...it's so bad.

      --
      You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
    2. Re:No one is going to wear a glove to control a PC by zill · · Score: 3, Informative

      This patents is for the algorithm and the hardware that actually makes it possible. Minority Report contained neither of those things.

  2. Prior Art by Netshroud · · Score: 2

    Anyone else read Emily Eyefinger as a kid??

  3. Please don't be evil by ehud42 · · Score: 2

    Sparkfun just posted an article about a clever device for visually impaired people to use to navigate with their hand. Google better leave them alone!

    --
    I'm in my right mind and I have the answer to everything!
    1. Re:Please don't be evil by gl4ss · · Score: 2

      real question is did google actually build their version?
      another go:
      http://grathio.com/2011/08/meet-the-tacit-project-its-sonar-for-the-blind/

      atting tactile feedback to a pointing device.. that's like adding haptics to some whatever augmented reality application. surely done?

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    2. Re:Please don't be evil by Riceballsan · · Score: 2

      Well lets list all of the companies google has sued for patent infringement in the past. Pretty much all I've ever seen google sue is patent trolls.

  4. Great, just great! by reboot246 · · Score: 2

    Now the TSA can see your naughty bits when they stick their grubby little hands down your pants.

  5. what I REALLY would like to see with my hands by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I really would like to see Miss February with my hands...

  6. Obligatory penny arcade by zill · · Score: 2

    You can't choke someone over the internet, until now.