Documents filed with the Federal Communication Commission show that Google Glass will make use of bone conduction to generate sound rather than relying on a traditional earphone/speaker setup.

The papers reference an "integral vibrating element that provides audio to the user via contact with the user's head". This means that by vibrating the bones near the ear the headset can generate sound without blocking out environmental noise.

This basically means you would be able to listen to what Google Glass is telling you without missing any vital sounds nearby.


To demonstrate why this might be useful, one of the oft-cited uses of the augmented reality glasses is to provide directions to its wearer. By using bone conduction technology, aural instructions could be given to pedestrians, cyclists or drivers without compromising their ability to hear other road users.

The technology is expected to be included on the Explorer Edition of Glass which carries a $1,500 (£962) price tag and will ship to developers during 2013 in preparation for the device's projected 2014 launch.