Tech Fan Builds His Own Augmented Reality Goggles

Google, you better watch your back.

Will Powell, a British technology tinkerer, has created his own set of digital goggles that are able to translate foreign languages and relay the translated text to the wearer through "subtitles."

Of course, Powell writes on his blog, he got his inspiration from Google's Project Glass goggles. (Who could forget their stunt at Google I/O?) But he went about it a little differently: He used a pair of (expensive) Vuzix 1200 Star 3D glasses, a pair of $35 Raspberry Pi mini-computers that run the free, and the open-source Debian Linux operating system to run conversations in two languages through Microsoft's translation API. The device uses a Bluetooth microphone connected to a smartphone or tablet for the audio feed.

Check out the video to see a demo. Sure, there's a bit of a lag in translation, but the fact that some British dude built these is pretty amazing. Really, it's only a matter of time before AR glasses become the norm.