Video Game Developers Valve Follows Google and Apple, Working on Wearable Computing

Video game developers Valve have admitted they are working on a new project - wearable computing - according to a report by CVG. Apparently Michael Abrash, a video game technical expert at the organisation, mentioned a few details in a blog post.

The project, incidentally, sounds similar to Google's "Project Glass", which was unveiled recently.

"By 'wearable computing', I mean mobile computing where both computer-generated graphics and the real world are seamlessly overlaid in your view; there is no separate display that you in your hands (think Terminator vision)," Abrash wrote in the blog.

He also explained briefly about the idea behind the project, pointing out that most people today are conversant with the use of computing and communications devices like desktops, laptops, notebooks and tablets. Essentially, the idea of computing is everywhere... leading to the possibility not only of miniature computing devices but also wearable gadgets. The Valve executive added that he expected wearable computing to be a reality within 20 years.

Meanwhile, Abrash's post is not the only one on the subject in recent times. Apparently Valve is looking for an electronics engineer to on hardware. A second report suggests Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook paid Valve a visit. It may be a stretch but it is not too difficult to connect these events. However, Abrash has moved to squash any rumours of products, launches or releases.

"To be clear, this is R&D-it does not in any way involved a product at this point, and will not for a long while, if ever-so please, no rumour about Stream Glasses being announced at E3. It is an initial investigation into a very interesting and promising space, and falls more under the heading of research than development. The Valve approach is to do experiment and see what we learn-failure is fine, just so long as we can identify failure quickly, learn from it, and move on-and then apply it to the next experiment," he added.

Earlir this month Google unveiled its augmented reality glasses, under the code name "Project Glass". The project, being worked on by a group of researchers from Google X, which is the same team involved with developing self-driving cars and the space elevator. The augmented reality glasses are believed to run on the Android software and also have 3G and 4G connections, motion sensors and GPS navigation.

Finally, where Google and Valve tread, Apple is sure to follow. The Cupertino-based company is reportedly also working wearable computing, according to The New York Times. They filed, in 2008, a patent for a head-mounted display system.