New Google Patent Filing Claims Heart Hand Gesture for Snapping Pictures

California – Google, Inc. was granted a patent on October 15th which will let users of its upcoming Google Glass take pictures simply by making hand gestures.

The patent, which lists two Northern California Google employees as inventors, is aptly titled “Hand gestures to signify what is important.” It describes a method compatible with its soon-to-be released Google Glass device, by which users can put their hands together to create a heart shape over a certain real life object, thereby “liking” it and creating a heart shaped picture. It goes on to detail how customers can make an L shape over an object in order to take a more traditional rectangular photo.

The method set forth in the recent patent, numbered 8,558,759 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), seems to build upon the current internet application trend of “liking” photos and posts. This feature is included in some of the world’s most popular web-based applications, including Facebook and Instagram. By allowing Glass users to perform a physical action in relation to a real object in the world to take a picture, it seems that Google has found a way to take “liking” to the next level.

The wearable computer developed by Google is currently in the final stages of development by Google X, the secretive branch of the company known for its production of ultramodern technologies and devices. The much anticipated product features an optical head-mounted display that looks much like a pair of futuristic eyeglasses. Glass has a screen, camera, touchpad and lenses that work in conjunction on an Android operating system.

While it is uncertain if the features described in the new patent will actually come to fruition as part of the Google Glass product, it adds to the certainty that Google is doing all it can to reserve its right to protect all technological advancements related to Glass. Currently, there is no exact consumer release date for Glass and analysts have been left to speculate about the price point. However, for those who truly cannot wait to get their hands on it, a quick eBay search shows a few listings for Glass at a cool $6,000.