It was in 2014 when Google released their first augmented reality (AR) smart glass called the Google Glass. The product ended up being unpopular, but it seems like Google has not given up on the idea. Now they have announced their acquisition of North, which is a company that specialises in human computer interfaces and smart glasses.
North, previously known as Thalmic Labs, has been working towards building technologies that hidden away when not needed, but instantly accessible to the user when they require it. Myo, a gesture based input device, pioneered new ways of interaction with neuro-muscular impulses. In the smart glasses space, they also launched their Focals 1.0 that showcased new technologies in the AR space.
The entire team from North would continue to work in Kitchener-Waterloo along a Google team that’s based there. With their expertise, Google should be able to advance their hardware capabilities in ambient computing. Google clearly has not given up on the Smart Glasses future and it remains to be seen whether this acquisition will result in Google Glasses 2.