Word has leaked that Google is planning to unveil some hardware later this year that will get pilots dreaming and developers drooling. Google’s sunglasses are designed to house a head-up display. The glasses, according to a report in the New York Times and on several tech websites, will cost several hundred dollars, feature Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity along with integral GPS and accelerometers. The HUD Glasses — Google hasn’t released any official information on the product — will run Google’s Android operating system and will integrate with Google Maps. Of course, the question that pilots are asking about these wired frame glasses is, “Could they be useful as a HUD for when we’re flying?”
Google isn’t even acknowledging the product, never mind talking about specific apps yet, so we reached out to those in the industry who develop HUDs for a living and asked them. While the promise of a wearable HUD is real, there are obstacles in developing aviation applications for the forthcoming Google product, they said.
