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evacuation orders arriving via the web could be routed to hearing aids and coch-
lear implants as well as being displayed, assuming the glasses had Bluetooth or
some other short-range connectivity.
Once spoken words are captured, it would also be possible to use an automatic
natural language translation program. This would be very useful for international
travelers. It is theoretically possible to have a kind of science-fiction capability in
which, for example, a conversation between a Japanese speaker and an English
speaker would be simultaneously translated into both languages. If both parties
were wearing Google Glasses, they might be able to carry on what would be pretty
close to a normal conversation. The Google translate application already does this,
and coupling it with a verbal tool similar to Dragon would make global travel a
great deal more convenient than it is today.
In fact, if the translated conversations could also be routed to hearing aids and
cochlear implants, two deaf people who speak totally different languages might be
able to converse fairly well.
Somewhat surprisingly, Google Glasses would also be of benefit to blind
people if they could include sensors and artificial intelligence routines and could
communicate with hearing aids or audible devices. For example, a blind person
approaching an intersection could receive a verbal warning that the traffic light
was red. It would also be possible that, by turning the head to the left and right, the
glasses would provide additional warnings such as “high-speed auto approaching:
danger.”
Yet another feature for the blind would be the ability to scan text and convert
it into spoken words. This might enable a blind person wearing Google Glasses to
“read” ordinary books and e-books by merely aiming the glasses at them.
Google Glasses might also be of use to those with physical handicaps such
as quadriplegics. If the glasses respond to voice commands, then those who can
speak can use them to communicate. There are other future possibilities besides
the ones discussed here, but these are all fairly important for those potential users
with physical handicaps.
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