Winky for Google Glass lets you take photos with the wink of an eye
Many developers, including our very own Steve Albright, have finally gotten their hands on Google Glass units, and some of the more interesting applications are starting to roll out. One app that’s sure to get folks excited is Winky, a utility that allows you to take photos with Google Glass by performing the super simple action of winking an eye.
Typically, users would have to say “OK glass, take a picture” in order to snap a photo from the first-person point-of-view, but as Mike DiGiovanni points out this kind of pulls you out of the moment. Without having to say anything or wait for a two-step command, Winky allows you to capture snapshots of your most precious moments as if you’re simply committing them to memory.
The developer didn’t go into much detail about how it was done, but he did release the source code to show everyone how it was done, and to ensure everyone that the app doesn’t handle private data in such a way that is harmful to the user. He doesn’t want inexperienced Glass users to be able to install the app all willy-nilly, saying that he wants to make sure that only people who can understand the code behind it can install it.
With that, there’s no APK for you to simply download and install — you’ll have to build it from source if you really want it. It’s an interesting project that shows off some Glass functionality that we didn’t know developers could tap into so easily. DiGiovanni says he hasn’t jumped into low-level stuff yet to figure out how, exactly, the unit can detect the wink, but suspects a tiny, low-resolution camera is embedded in the device’s bar.
The app’s user interface itself is quite simple if you need it: you’ll get the ability to calibrate the sensitivity, and the ability to clear that calibration. Two buttons, and that’s it. The quick video at this link shows Mike putting the app in action, but if you have Google Glass and want to experience it for yourself be sure to find the code at Github and compile the source with whatever tools you prefer.
[via Google+]