Scientists at the University of Tokyo have developed a pair of intelligent glasses that remember where people last saw things such as their keys, handbag, or mobile phone.
Future - and more refined - versions of the glasses could aid people who suffer from regular “senior moments”, as well as those suffering from serious memory problems caused by dementia.
The Smart Goggles contain a video camera, a computer and a viewfinder. The wearer first wanders around a house or workplace looking at the objects he or she may later want to find in a hurry. Each time the camera focuses on a object - such as a set of keys or a purse - the wearer says the name aloud and it is recorded and stored into the memory.
Later, if the wearer is trying to find their keys, they simply name the object, the glasses search its video memory and show its last known location on the display.
Given the right programming, the glasses could allow wearers to walk through gardens, stare at unfamiliar plants and find out their names instantly or use them to help remember names in awkward social situations.
Scientists plan in the next few years to shrink the camera and viewfinder to a more sensible - and fashionable - size.
(via Daily Mail)
