Google's Project Glass (Google Glass) "Explorer Edition" has arrived in the hands of the FCC, meaning the $1500 heads-up display specs, aka XEB, is one step closer to reaching developers. Google first introduced this version of Project Glass back in May 2012, during Google I/O, saying the gadget would be launched sometime around January 2013.
According to documents submitted to the FCC for approval, the Explorer Edition hardware will include a Broadcom 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi radio paired with a Bluetooth 4.0+ LE module. It was first tested by the FCC on November 19, and the documents show that the FCC also tested another model using Bluetooth 4.0 HS.
The Explorer Edition filing also talks about the audio aspect, backing up a recent patent submitted by Google that discusses delivering audio to Project Glass users through bone conduction. Elements embedded within the frames will vibrate, sending a stream of audio into the ear canal via the wearer's skull. Bones won't be directly vibrated, but will instead merely receive the transmission.
Because the FCC is now making the documents public, it's assumed that Project Glass, or at least the Explorer Edition, is safe for human consumption. When exactly these specs will ship to developers this quarter is unknown, but it looks like Google wasn't far off its January target – maybe sometime this month?
Google previously stated that Project Glass will be ready for consumers in 2014. That gives developers at least a year to create cool Glass apps before then.
