Google, which is now a subsidiary of Alphabet, seems to be relentless in its pursuit of making Google Glass a feasible wearable device. The company's patent application for a dynamically adjustable frame was approved on Sept. 8.
Google Glass was one of the more popular Google products that did not do so well in the market. It was initially offered through the Mountain View company's Glass Explorer Program. However, majority of those who got the wearable criticized it for a lot of reasons but most notably, for the $1,500 price tag and the privacy and workplace issues that came with it.
In January 2015, Google finally closed down the Explorer Program and announced that Glass is graduating from Google X Labs. The announcement, however, also came with a note saying, "we're still committed to Glass and are closing the Explorer program to focus on what's next. You'll see future versions of Glass when they're ready to be released." The newly-approved patent shows the company's endeavors in materializing its promise and redeem the "failed innovation".
According to patent number US009128283B1, the intuitive arms are built to determine and act upon the needed adjustment of the frame tension to cope with movement and thereby, secure the headwear to prevent it from sliding down or falling off. It will implement the measured adjustments through a motor that controls the arm's movement to adjust the arms and tighten the grip whenever the wearer is moving vigorously, such as when biking or running. The adjust arm is also seen as a viable solution for the one-size-fits-all headwear problem.
If this is implemented solely for the Google Glass 2, enthusiasts are not likely to get one since Google dropped the consumer edition and only plans to release the enterprise edition - deploying it in workplaces that run Android-based solutions. However, if the mechanized frame really works and not pose aesthetic issues, it's hard to see established eyewear manufacturers not incorporating it in their own products.
However, if it's just sliding and falling eyewear causing the fret, a couple of scrunchies, which costs less than $20 dollars for a pack on Amazon, should be enough. YouTuber ArayaLia Mua shows what to do for glasses to stay in place.
