Google X Files
I’m a big fan
of new technology, top secret research and crazy ideas straight from ‘’Dexter’s
Laboratory’’ or ‘’Back to the future’’ movie. Just imagine our world full of
intelligent robots, teleports, travels into space or flying skateboards on the
street? It sounds like 2137? What if I tell you that someone is trying to
fulfill these ideas?
Source: https://www.mercedes-benz.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/04/google-x_darker2-1280x640.jpg
Have you
ever heard about Google? Rhetorical question! If you don’t - you probably spent
your life under the rock for the last decade. This company from the IT branch
is the founder of the most popular internet search engine. It’s also an owner
of YouTube, Android... and many more. Oh, and by the way Google headquarters are
the best workplace. But I don’t want to focus on a big history behind this
company.
Google mission
is to bring an easy access to knowledge for everyone around the world. This
scenario is probably not enough for company owners. They also want to literally
change the world and make it a better place. And from this idea they bring
Google X to live.
What is
mysterious Google X? It’s the semi-secret factory when the most crazy and
innovative ideas are born or… thrown into the trash and abandoned forever. But
before that happens the group of very smart people tests them and do everything
to succeed. For them sky isn’t the limit.
I encourage
you to listen to the founder of Google X – Mr. Astro Teller about their
successes and learning from the failures:
These super ideas are called “Moonshots”. It’s a tribute for Apollo 11
mission landing on the Moon. Something that was seemingly unreal it has become
a fact. Everyone can contact Google X and present your original idea.
Let me show
you few the most popular Moonshots:
1. Google Glass.
Sounds familiar? Yes! Intelligent, interactive glasses from Google were
supposed to be hit... 4 years ago. The Glasses did not have enough consumer interest
because of their high cost, not many apps and their turn out quickly to be just
a fancy gadget. Interesting fact – Glasses are still in use, but available only
for cooperating companies for example from medicine, automobile or delivery branches.
Source: https://www.x.company/glass/
2. Project Loon
– Idea of flying balloons armed with wireless network float in stratosphere.
More than a half of world’s population is still without Internet access.
Project Loon was designed and made to solve this problem and let people stay
connected everywhere on the planet. Who doesn’t want to have a free hotspot in
every place in the world? J Maybe some day…
3. Project Wing
– The idea of delivery drones. Yes, I know. you probably think that Amazon is a
sneaky copycat. Maybe, but Project Wing supposed to be something more, not only
for consumer use but also for example the emergency medicine delivery system.
The vision of flying drones with packages above our heads is beautiful. Unfortunately
- Too much risk of terrorist attacks and no control over flying area caused
closing the project. At least for now.
Source: https://x.company/wing/
Google X
also deal with super advanced artificial intelligence, a project whose task is
to extend human life or long-life smartphone batteries.
Many
rejected project are also very interesting. Example? What about space elevator
or.. teleportation! Yes! Scientists inside this building seriously were working
on teleportation!
Questions:
1. Have you ever heard about “Moonshot”
projects before?
2. Which projects (rejected or not) made
the biggest impression on you?
3. If you can sit down, think for a
while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
1. Have you ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before?
ReplyDelete– I heard about Google X, but I have never heard the code name "Moonshot". I think it's pretty accurate. How often do you have chance to work on teleportation?!
2. Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on you?
– It'd be Project Loon Ballon. I think it could be the game changer. It would expand the Internet even more and people who right now have trouble to access information would be able to learn whatever they want. It could also change releated industry like mobile operators who are right now main source of accessing the Internet.
3. If you can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
– Hard to choose. Let's go with a flying cars like in the Fifth Element movie. That would be great. I'd love to travel even faster on my own ratehr than by plane. You wrote that the Google X have worked on teleportation. My idea might be a little bit simpler and maybe easier to achieve.
Maybe not flying cars yet, but Google X had plans to create automatic cars without driver inside. According to an official statement process of teleportation is against the rules of physics :( For now of course :)
Delete1. Have you ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before?
ReplyDeleteNever heard about it, it sounds really interesting and innovative. I'd like to visit it one day to see what they discarded and what passed their requirements.
2. Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on you?
I'd have to say it's Project Wing. I hate waiting for delivery person or stand in line in the Post Office. I'd like to see it in action and i think it would increase the sales too.
3. If you can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
I'm not telling you! I'm going to contact them myself and not spill my guts here! :D Just kidding, it would probably be a device to extract oxygen from surrounding air and hydrogen from methane to combine it into drinkable and clean water (and have some carbon as a waste to be used in filters for dirty water).
Brilliant idea! If this could work your invention could help many people without access to drinkable water.
DeleteAmazon also tested a solution of delivery drones. It's not that easy specially nowadays. Drones could be easly used by terrorist for example.
I’ve never heard of these moonshot projects the same as about Google’s X files. It’s very interesting topic for me. For example, project “Malta” which is about storing renewable energy in molten salt is a candidate to be called as crazy and stupid in any regular company. But in moonshot’s projects world it’s going to be a real thing! You’ve also got the answer on second question about most impressive project for me. When it comes to my own moon project… The first idea which I think of is the trousers which can charge battery during walks, and charge phone in pocket wirelessly. I think it’s possible now, but we can’t wash them without removing tones of electronics stuff. I would like to see solution which is as ordinary as any other regular trousers.
ReplyDelete1. Have you ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before?
ReplyDelete- Yes, in some articles on websties i read about it. Nice topic, looks a little bit like agent 007 laboratory, but as We know many thinks wich we see in our normaln life some time ago also look's like agent gadgets. For example GPS oraz pocket camera.
2Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on you?
- Project Loon, looks amazing but also scary me. Internet allover the world can produce new problems. I'm afraid about this ballon, if we send a lot of them to the space maybe they can start to crash each other ?
3. If you can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
- Synthetic petrol without polution. Some liquid wich can be easy to produce, cheap, can work with standard engine but on the other side wery eco for earth.
Even when i write it I think it's completly inpossible but ??
Indeed, most of the project sounds like "Q" from James Bond franchise is taking care of it :D Synthetic petrol sounds really good. It would help us fighting with air pollution in Warsaw.
DeleteNo, I haven’t heard about Moonshot projects before but I think it is a great idea. It’s so nice that people have a chance to make their dreams come true. Google have a great vision for their development, maybe that is why they are so successful and no only because famous web search engine. I’m very interested in Google Glass, it looks nice. I’m interested how is to be wearing those glass and how it is helpful in daily routine. To bad it so expensive. I have a lot of ideas, I’m not sure if it’s good or no, but I want to keep them for myself.
ReplyDeleteThe main problem of Google Glasses for customer use is insufficient support from developers outside "Google".
DeleteHello, thank You for the article, the TED talk was very entertaining.
ReplyDelete1. Have you ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before?
To tell You the truth I haven't heard about most of this projects. The only project I heard about was the Google Glass few years ago, but I didn't know what have happened to it. I have just watched some video that they are working on it and forgot about it. Its good that there are people working on some great ideas in our world. Our planet and people need those, cause I think every year we have more problems, instead of dealing with the old ones, we are adding new ones.
2. Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on you?
For me it was drone delivery system. I think it would be really comfortable for all of the people have the goods received in a very small amount of time. The use of it as an emergency delivery system would be also helping in saving people. Also it looks really cool. Unfortunately the project was abandoned due to reasons You mentioned in article.
3. If you can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
I think the free water delivery system and free energy. Our planet really needs those. Also many other good ideas could come from the people that are now struggling with everyday lives with basic needs like water or energy.
1. Have you ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before?
ReplyDeleteYes, I have heard about this great project. It's a similar project to Elon Musk's "Boring Company"
and their loop project. Or flamethrower...
https://www.boringcompany.com/flamethrower/
2. Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on you?
Project Loon is my favourite. I like the idea of ecological baloons spreading wifi.
3. If you can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
I really need something to walk with my dog in this weather.
A flamethrower or something..
1. Have you ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before?
ReplyDeleteI did not hear about this project, but the first thing that occurred to me is whether those people who do not have access to the Internet have the opportunity to receive it at all? Computers, phones?
2. Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on you?
Teleportation would be great ;) No more excuses that I do not want to, end with: Uber, public transport, roads, problem with fossil fuels, prices of tranport. That would be a breakthrough;)
3. If you can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
If I had such an idea, I would have already been sitting on a plane to Mountain View for a long time and did not describe it here ;)
I described Project loon instead of Moonshot.
DeleteI heard about such projects, I did not know that they call them that. Something like a golden shot, or a revelation ;)
I've never heard of Moonshot projects before but just reading and hearing about them makes me really excited about approach they've made. Trying things out from both optimistic yet skeptical point of view is definitely a way to go for practical solutions.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sad about vertical farming - I thought it was already a thing 2 or 3 years ago, but maybe the idea failed. It's one of the things we need to find a solution to: to end starvation and make settlements in unwelcome places (both on Earth and beyond) become reality.
As for ideas to report to Google X - how about quantum teleportation based communication?
If I'm not mistaken, we're only missing performance in quantum computers to achieve near zero latency communication around the world (and beyond) coming to life.
I have never heard about Google X. I think that it has great potential. New technology has changed our lives tremendously. I hope that the company will focus on n solutions which help protect the environment and fight global warming. I think that the project of delivering packages by drone is a great idea. Online sales of goods is constantly growing. The problem of package delivery is getting bigger.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before?
ReplyDeleteYes, I heard about all 'Moonshot' projects which you admire.
Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on you?
It's hard to say. Everything is interesting. But probably none as much as the last Elona Musk's project (Falcon heavy).
If you can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
Unfortunately I have not enough time for that ;)
But I think that Marek Michalak idea is quite awesome. Something which changing weather to go out with the dog
1. Have you ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before?
ReplyDeleteI never heard about Moonshot. It's very interesting topics. nice to find a place where you can implement crazy ideas of geniuses.
2. Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on you?
teleportation is key! I would have much more time for my passions without standing in traffic jam. It would save time, money, and nerves.
3. If you can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be?
Two lifes. at first I would be an employee of the year. In the second I would have time for passions and pleasures.
Thanks you for the great article. I read a lot articles about google projects, but I never heard about "Moonshot". I think that Google is a master of innovation marketing. They prepare many mediafriendly projects, but it is only prototype. Many projects are killed, because sales predictions were bad. They can transfer developed technology to other projects. I love Google Project Tango. This is AR technology in mobile devices with special quality camera. Unfortunately they killed projects , because hardware prices were too expensive. Today, they renamed project to ARCore and develop only software
ReplyDelete1. Have I ever heard about “Moonshot” projects before? - atually I didn't! And I cannot believe that I missed out on that information! There are so many inspiring projects on their website.
ReplyDelete2. Which projects (rejected or not) made the biggest impression on me? - I will point at using salt as a source of energy. In current times it is so important to look for new natural energy source and of course those that do not result in air pollution
3. If I can sit down, think for a while and then report your idea to Google X - what would it be? - for sure something conected with flying! It has been alway my dream to have that super power and ability to fly. Instead of being stuck in traffic jams, one could fly from work to home much faster and don't waist so much time everyday
I’ve never heard of the project itself, but I know the Google glasses idea. I presumed it wouldn’t work out, though - as the glasses look too geeky to be used daily:) If I had to choose one of their ideas, I would probably go for something both practical and achievable, like the „sea fuel” - carbon-neutral liquid fuel alternative. I think industries like Google have the power (and a duty!) not only to simplify everyday life, but also to seek for solutions that would turn things around for the future of our planet.
ReplyDeleteI very supported Google Glass project and really believed in it! Sad it hasn't been completed for customer use.
Delete