Google Glass doesn’t work like sunglasses, so when the sun starts to shine there will be a loss of sight for users. Chris Barrett, who is one of the early Glass Explorers, has created a 3D printed sunshade for Google Glass in order to fix this problem. ”I believe that, when Google Glass is finally released to the public, Sunshades will be as popular as Ray-Bans,” he says.


Image: Sunshade 1.0, Chris Barrett, Shapeways.

What do we do when the sun starts to shine? Easy, we just put on some sunglasses. So why isn’t there some sunglasses application for Google Glass, is what Barrett probably thought. Therefore he designed a very basic tiny cover for the prism of Google Glass. Because he didn’t know much about 3D printing, the man reached out for a studio in Philadelphia to develop and print a prototype. After three prototypes, Sunshade 1.0 came out. With Sunshade 1.0 Google Glass users can easily use their glasses in the sunlight and it also hides the prism from people’s sight.

“I realized pretty quickly that the Glass prism projects transparent graphics, which are heavily and easily diluted against sunlight,” the man says. “Outdoors, I found myself frequently using my thumb to cover the back of the prism, to provide the necessary contrast I needed to see Glass clearly. Indoors, I caught myself turning away from windows and staring at walls, just to see what I was doing.” Here’s something more he tells us:

    “The more I used my own Sunshade, the more I realized its hidden potential. When I first received Glass, before I developed Sunshade, people would notice the prism’s light and frequently stop me to ask questions. Sometimes it’s fun to chat with strangers, but (many) other times it’s not. Sunshade conceals Glass’ light, so now, when I’m wearing Glass in public, I attract a lot less attention. In the future, with more and more people wearing Google Glass, covering the bright light will likely become a fundamental part of Glass etiquette. With Sunshade, speakers at conferences won’t be distracted by 1000s of bright lights in the audience. Your boss won’t suspect you of checking your email while you’re in a meeting either. Without the obvious light, Glass will become almost as discreet as an ordinary pair of glasses.”

Because it’s a 3D print you can download a code for Sunshade 1.0 on Shapeways, which enables you to print out your own version of Sunshade for $2,54.

Source: 3dprinting.com