Apr 20, 2017 - Technology
Facebook's focus on futuristic tech
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Futuristic technology took the stage on the second day of F8, Facebook's annual developer conference in Silicon Valley.
Why it matters: Facebook has been working on Internet connectivity tech and AI for years, but its new interests in technology for reading brain waves and mixed reality that barely exist today shows that it wants to compete with companies like Google when it comes to tech "moonshots."
The big news:
- Facebook wants you to wear AR glasses: Oculus chief scientist Michael Abrash described a future in which we all wear glasses that mix augmented and virtual reality. But we're still at least five years away from augmented reality's "MacIntosh" moment—meaning when it becomes a mainstream technology.
- Facebook wants you to type with your mind: Facebook's secretive Building 8 unit, led by former DARPA director and Google executive Regina Dugan, unveiled two of its projects. One aims to let people type using their brain waves, and the other is working on letting them hear and detect language through their skin.
- Other new tech: Facebook execs also discussed new improvements and projects in the areas of 360-video cameras, internet connectivity, and artificial intelligence.
Catch up on Day 1 of F8 here.
