Google patents technology for augmented reality books

Google has filed two patents describing technology to improve on the traditional book. One of the ideas is to project images onto the pages of the book, using specially built-in devices.

The patent applications in question were filed with the US patent office USPTO and were the first to be discovered by Fast Company. In one of the patent applications, Google describes a technology to add images to a book via a kind of augmented reality. This can be done via a projector that has to be built into the book and pressure sensors that detect when the reader turns a page. Because a mini projector is used, it is not necessary to wear special glasses to see the images.

When the user turns a page, a trigger is created and images can be shown on the book itself, thus supporting the story. A built-in speaker can play corresponding sounds. The same can be done with a technology that is described in the second patent application. A secondary device, such as a smartphone or tablet, is used to reproduce the image and sound of the book story. Again, when the reader turns a page, it is detected and the associated image and sound material is then played on the smartphone or tablet.

As is usual with patent applications, it is not clear whether the patented techniques will actually find their way into products. Google experiments more often with new product forms, so it is by no means certain that such a book will be produced. It’s also possible that Google will use the ideas for tech demonstrations.