Google is preparing to test a prototype of a new augmented reality (AR) device beginning next month.
The company said in a blog post Tuesday (July 19) that testing the device in a lab has limitations, which is why it plans to conduct real-world tests.
“This will allow us to better understand how these devices can help people in their everyday lives,” the post stated. “And as we develop experiences like AR navigation, it will help us take factors such as weather and busy intersections into account — which can be difficult, sometimes impossible, to fully recreate indoors.”
The tech giant will begin small-scale tests in public places, with AR prototypes worn by a few dozen employees and chosen testers, according to the post.
These tests come seven years after Google quietly shelved its Google Glass AR device amid a host of complaints, from glitches to the way they looked to the device’s short battery life to concerns about privacy.
Google seems to have this last issue in mind as it plans to test the new device, noting in the post that while the prototypes will include in-lens displays, microphones and cameras, they’ll “have strict limitations on what they can do.”
For instance, the prototypes don’t support videos or photography, but they do allow wearers to use image data to do things like translate menus or get directions.
“It’s early, and we want to get this right, so we’re taking it slow, with a strong focus on ensuring the privacy of the testers and those around them,” the post stated.
In May, Google finalized a deal to acquire microLED startup Raxium to drive its AR and virtual reality (VR) goals. Raxium, based in Silicon Valley, has spent the past five years developing AR and VR wearables and headsets.
Read more: Google Picks up MicroLED Startup Raxium to Drive AR
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