U.S., Japanese firms tap ‘wearable computing’

A new IT platform called “wearable computing,” which allows users to perform computer functions via the use of high-tech products such as glasses, is drawing close attention in the global tech industry.

These products are capable of integrating graphics and other sensory information, or computer-generated reality, directly into the eyes of users, creating an overlap between the “real” world and a “computer-generated” or virtual world.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin displayed a type of augmented reality glasses at a recent developer’s conference held in San Francisco, and the Japanese optics firm Olympus as well as the U.S.-based Apple Corp. appear to be working on similar products as well, according to news reports.

The New York Times recently reported that Olympus has developed one of its first wearable computer models called the “MEG 4.0 ultracompact wearable display prototype.”

In a news release, the company said that these lightweight glasses can be “used in everyday life,” but require connection to a smartphone via Bluetooth. Other information, such as pricing and a projected release date, was not provided.

Industry sources say that Apple Corp. has also been quietly working on developing wearable computers since at least 2006. To date, the U.S.-based computer giant has filed for several patents for goggles and glasses that incorporate innovative display technologies. Its most recent patent was approved in early July and involves software that projects images directly into a user’s eyes, according to the New York Times.

Meanwhile, the Japanese telecommunications and electronics firm NEC released a wearable computer called the “Tele Scouter” in 2011. Intended primarily for use by construction workers at building sites, the product uses special glasses outfitted with a small monitor and a mini computer that can be belted onto the body.

Industry experts say that major companies are also working on making other types of wearable computers for consumers. According to Korean news reports, Google is in the process of developing a wearable computer that uses contact lenses, rather than eyeglasses like its Google Glass product. The latter is set to hit markets early next year.

By Renee Park (renee@heraldcorp.com)