Google Has Patented a Camera Hat, Is Clearly Not Giving Up on Wearable Tech (Yet)

The latest patent from Google suggests the tech giant still hasn’t given up on its dream of creating camera-savvy apparel.

This mysterious patent is described as “a hat and a camera system for the hat that can be used for an interactive session with a remote user”.

If you’re imagining a cap with an embedded camera that allows wearers to take photos and videos, congratulations: You’ve hit the nail on the head.

The camera hat will also allow users to live stream events, and upload them to social media networks through a mobile app.

What’s the fun of video without sound, right? The patent describes a built-in speaker, which is “configured to create audio waves through the hat by bone conduction in the skull”.

Of course, it also has a sneaky little microphone for wearers to record audio.

Here’s the kicker. Google envisions the hat to be helpful for sharing footage of technical problems, so it’s usefulness isn’t limited to just sharing photos with friends and family.

Imagine if you had a malfunctioning modem; in theory you could just slap on the hat and live stream exactly what you see (usually confusing, blinking lights) directly to a customer service line.