10 Amazing Google Projects That Are Shaping the Future

Got a question? Just ask Google. I bet you already know that Google is the best search engine out there, and no one would even disagree. But did you know that Google does more than just search the web? Absolutely! In addition to being home to the super popular Android OS, Google is making waves beyond the digital world.

For quite some time now, Google has been on a mission to revolutionize the world through cutting-edge research and development in various fields. They’re all about finding new sciences and technologies that can make a real difference in how we live.

Google has truly come a long way from its early days as a simple search engine that could have been sold to Yahoo! for a measly $1 million. Today, it’s reaching for the stars and aiming even higher. Let’s dive into some of the mind-blowing projects Google has been working on.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence

“In the twenty-first century, the robot will take the place which slave labor occupied in ancient civilization.” – Nikola Tesla

1. Robotics

Did you know that Google is actually working on building an army of robots? I’m not joking, they’re really doing it! First, they started with robots for their self-driving cars.

But then they went even further and bought up eight different robotics companies. One of them is Boston Dynamics, and they’re famous for making super advanced robots that are funded by the Pentagon. Check out this cool video of their robot called Spot:

Hey there! Did you hear the latest news about Google? They’ve only gone and got a patent to “control robot armies”! Can you believe it? But that’s not all – they’ve also managed to patent the creation of robots with personalities. It’s pretty incredible, right? ��

Now, before you start panicking, let me explain what’s going on behind the scenes. Google is on a mission to develop super-smart machines that can work autonomously. These machines will be able to chat with each other, download updates from Google’s servers, and do all sorts of amazing stuff. Just imagine their self-driving cars, talking to each other on the road – predicting the best routes, avoiding crashes, and even managing traffic. It’s like something out of a sci-fi movie!

Have you ever heard of robots with personalities? It sounds kind of creepy, right? Well, these robots have the ability to mimic the personalities of people who have passed away. This might seem strange, but it could actually be helpful for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

2. Self-driving cars

You’ve probably heard a lot about electric and autonomous cars lately. Companies like Volkswagen, Mercedes, Tesla, General Motors, and even Google are all working on creating cars that can drive themselves.

The main goal of these cars is to make our roads safer. Let’s face it, humans can be pretty dangerous drivers. In the past six years, Google’s self-driving cars have been in 11 minor accidents, and none of them were the car’s fault.

When we introduce self-driving cars onto our roads, we bring in vehicles that can process information faster than a hundred rational minds combined. This advance has the potential to significantly reduce the number of accidents on our roads. Additionally, autonomous cars will greatly assist individuals who are unable to drive due to health issues, disabilities, or old age.

Exploring the Vastness of Space

“Who are we? We realize that we inhabit an insignificant planet orbiting an ordinary star tucked away in a galaxy hidden in some forgotten corner of a universe that contains far more galaxies than humans.”– Carl Sagan

3. Unleashing Space Exploration through the Lunar XPRIZE

There has been a frenzy surrounding space exploration, especially since Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines and Elon Musk of Tesla and Space-X have entered the space race. Google is also aiming to return to space.

In fact, Google has made a very interesting arrangement with NASA. They have rented an airfield from NASA for 60 whole years! Can you believe that? It cost them a whopping $1.16 billion, but they are really committed to making this work. And it’s not just about the money; they also want to improve the facilities at the airfield and educate people about how important space exploration is. I think that’s pretty cool!

The plan was to return to the moon, and this time, it would be a permanent stay. So how do we achieve this? Thanks to the Lunar XPRIZE and privately funded organizations, we have a shot at making this happen.

Here’s the deal: Google is offering a whopping $20 million prize to the lucky individual or group who can meet three conditions. First, they must successfully land a robot on the moon’s surface. Second, that robot needs to traverse a distance of at least 500 meters on, above, or below the moon’s surface. And finally, they need to send back high-definition TV streams from the moon to us, Earthlings!

Now, let’s talk about smartphones. As former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, the widespread use of mobile phones and digital services means people all over the world are contributing valuable information to the global knowledge warehouse. And the best part? They’re doing it simply by communicating, buying and selling things, and going about their daily lives.

Speaking of mobile phones, there’s a fascinating project called Project Ara that deserves our attention. It’s all about modular phones – phones that you can customize by swapping out different modules. Want a better camera? Just replace the camera module! Need more memory? Swap in a module with extra storage. It’s like building your own phone from scratch!

In conclusion, the quest to go back to the moon is on, thanks to the Lunar XPRIZE. And smartphones, with their ability to connect us and contribute to the global knowledge base, are truly remarkable. Plus, the exciting world of modular phones opens up endless possibilities for customization. The future is looking bright!

Are you tired of constantly having to replace your phone every six months or two years because of wear and tear or outdated technologies? I know I am. But hey, that’s where Project Ara comes in!

So here’s the deal: imagine treating a phone like it’s a Lego toy. You get to assemble it with the specific parts that you want to enhance.

Let’s say you’re a photographer. You can focus on upgrading your camera or lens. Or, if you’re a music lover like me, you can aim for better speakers and audio quality. And hey, how about longer-lasting batteries for uninterrupted listening time?

With a Project Ara phone, you no longer have to settle for a phone that may not have the features you’re most interested in. Say goodbye to lack of control and hello to a customizable phone that fits your needs perfectly!

Project Ara isn’t just about upgrading the hardware you need the most. It’s also about not having to replace your entire smartphone just because one part breaks. That’s usually why we end up changing our phones in the first place anyway.

5. Project Tango – 3D mapping

Project Tango aims to give handheld devices an understanding of the world around us in three dimensions. Right now, our devices can take us anywhere in the world, but they don’t really know what’s up or down, left or right, or what lies beyond the horizon. That’s because they only see the world in two dimensions.

With Project Tango, real-time mapping of the world won’t be a problem. Imagine walking into a building and watching as your smartphone maps everything around you. It will map the ceiling, the floor, the walls, and the objects in your path.

Hey there! Let’s dive into the amazing possibilities of this technology by taking a look at a movie clip. In the movie Prometheus, they showcase exactly what Project Tango can do.

Health

“Taking care of our physical health is crucial to maintaining a strong and clear mind.” – Buddha

6. Calico – Immortality

Ever heard of Calico? It’s a company that was created by Google Inc. and Arthur D. Levinson. Calico focuses on understanding aging and finding ways to slow it down. They’re also working on combatting age-related illnesses like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases through innovative therapies and treatments.

Not everyone is on board with Calico’s mission. In a reddit Ask Me Anything, Bill Gates had some criticism. He questioned the timing of Calico’s goals, saying that tackling them now while we’re still trying to find cures for malaria and tuberculosis is a bit self-centered.

7. Liftware – Spoons for People with Parkinson’s Disease

Liftware is a special handle that keeps itself steady. It can be used as a fork or a spoon, which is great for people who have muscle problems, like those with Parkinson’s Disease.

Every day, people with Parkinson’s Disease struggle to feed themselves. Depending on how severe their symptoms are, they might not be able to eat by themselves at all. Their loss of control over their motor skills makes something as simple as eating much more difficult than it is for those without the disease.

Not only does Liftware help reduce the spoon’s shaking by 70%, it also boosts my confidence, since I can simply eat anytime I want without needing anyone’s help.

The starter kit costs $295 and you can also get additional items like a fork and soup spoon.

8. Google Contact Lens

The main purpose of Google’s smart contact lens is to help monitor sugar levels in people with diabetes. It might seem like a small thing, but if you have diabetes, you have to get your blood sugar levels checked regularly. This means a lot of pricking your finger to draw blood to the surface.

Did you know that there are smart contact lenses that can measure your blood glucose levels without the need for painful needle pricks? It’s pretty incredible!

These contact lenses have tiny microchips and antennas embedded in the soft lens material. They’re so small that you can’t even feel them! The microchips can measure your glucose levels by analyzing your tears. This means you don’t have to draw blood anymore, which is a huge relief!

But that’s not all. These smart contact lenses can also monitor your glucose levels 24/7 and give you a warning if your levels are too high or too low. It’s like having a personal health assistant right on your eye!

The problems we face

This world is our only home, so we need to take care of it.

9. Makani – Google’s airborne wind turbine

We all know that the Earth’s fossil fuel supply is running out, and we need to find new sources of energy. Google is on the case and they’re looking to the wind for a solution.

Instead of placing windmills on windy fields, Google has a different idea. They want to harvest wind energy while in the sky. They’re doing this through their project called Makani. Google wants to use an airborne wind turbine, kind of like a kite, to capture wind energy while it’s flying through the air.

The “energy kite” is like a regular kite that’s tethered to the ground. As it goes higher and gets more wind, it also produces more energy.

This is possible because of recent improvements in computer technology, like the Raspberry Pi. Makani “energy kites” are cheaper and more energy-efficient to make, so they can be used in windy areas all over the world.

Now, let’s talk about Project Loon. It’s a way to bring the internet to places that don’t have it. Even though more and more people are getting connected to the internet each year, there are still a lot of people who don’t have access.

Why should we care about bringing the Internet to every corner of the globe? The answer is simple: it’s expensive to set up the necessary infrastructure, and not every place in the world can afford it. In fact, nowadays, having access to the Internet is considered a human right.

That’s where Project Loon comes in. By utilizing balloons, Google aims to provide Internet connectivity to the entire world. Imagine that! These balloons act as intermediaries between the main Internet Service Providers and those who have a receiver at home.

These balloons float a staggering 20 kilometers (around 13 miles) above the ground. Loons, as they are called, are powered by solar energy and take advantage of the wind currents in the stratosphere to glide smoothly over the land.

A glimpse into the future

In my earlier discussion, I mentioned just a few of their many projects. But in reality, they have far more than that – and perhaps even a few secret ones up their sleeve at Google X. The thing is, though, their projects are constantly changing. Some never make it to fruition, no matter how promising they seem on paper.

Others, on the other hand, gain traction and then get cancelled right when they’re starting to make waves (like Google Wave). But that’s the nature of research and development, isn’t it? You win some, you lose some. It’s all part of the process.

Regardless of the ups and downs, I can’t help but feel optimistic about the future. From where I’m standing, it looks pretty bright, wouldn’t you agree?