How will Google change our future?

The future is here, Google Glass is now available in the US. Source: AP

WHAT will Google do next?

Co-founder Larry Page has given us a glimpse into our hi-tech future in his annual founder's letter.

Ensure humans live a longer and more healthy life

"In healthcare we have Calico — a new company led by the former CEO of Genentech, Art Levinson, that's focused on health, wellbeing and longevity." Calico is aimed at finding ways to slow the ageing process and significantly expand the human lifespan. Page has said that he expects the project will take 10 or 20 year to come up with anything significant and there is speculation that Google's data processing will be used to shed light on age-related diseases. Google has also invested in Iris, a smart contact lens that monitors glucose levels in tears, something which people with diabetes can only test by drawing blood through pricking their finger. This technology will probably take about five years to reach the market.

A Google prototype of a smart contact lens that's built to measure glucose levels in tears. Source: Supplied

Smart appliances in the home

"We also recently acquired Nest, a company that's taken unloved household products like thermostats and made them much more useful," Page says in his letter.

The Nest thermostat learns how warm you like your home, what your schedule is and within a week it can start setting temperatures on its own, potentially saving you 20 per cent in heating and cooling bills. It also allows you to control temperatures from your phone. Another device Nest has developed is a smart fire alarm that talks to you in a "human voice" to give you an early heads up if it starts to detect smoke rather than sending out a screeching false alarm. This allows you to silence it if it's just your toast burning.

Same day shopping deliveries

"We're excited about our new Google Shopping Express service, which is a great way to get deliveries the same day you order them." This is being rolled out in America and already provides services in San Francisco. People can order online a wide variety of groceries, health and beauty products, appliances, toys and clothes, and get them delivered the same day.

Self-driving cars

Google has made a lot of progress in making this project a reality. The cars have been under development for five years and use detailed maps and a combination of lasers and sensors that allow it to see 360 degrees. This is aimed at avoiding the 93 per cent of accidents that happen on roads each year due to human error. Google is reportedly in talks with manufacturers to roll out a limited number of cars in about six years.

OK, it's not sexy but come on, this car can drive itself! AFP PHOTO/Glenn CHAPMAN Source: AFP

Intuitive search results

"Improved context will also help make search more natural, and not a series of keywords you artificially type into a computer." Page says Google is still "a million miles away from creating the search engine of my dreams, one that gets you just the right information at the exact moment you need it with almost no effort," but the company is looking to improve results by building in more "context". "Google Now is starting to tackle this challenge. It provides information without you even having to ask, so no more digging around in your inbox to find the tracking number for a much-needed delivery; it's already there on your screen." There is also work to make searches more "conversational". "We're getting closer: ask how tall the Eiffel Tower is, and then when 'it' was built. By understanding what 'it' means in different contexts, we can make search conversational."

Getting more people online

"It's a tragedy that with so much information available today, two-thirds of the world's population lack even the most basic internet connection," Page notes in his letter. Google is working to address this issue through Project Loon, which is aimed a creating a network of balloons on the very edge of space that can provide connectivity in rural and remote areas. "Soon there will be a classroom in northeast Brazil we are working to put online for the first time". But this innovation is not entirely altruistic, opening new markets will generate more income for Google, which it needs if it wants to keep on growing.

Wearable technology

"We're now taking Android to wearables, like watches, and to cars, where we can make it super easy to get directions, make a call or play music." And who can forget Google Glass? The hi-tech glasses which function like a smartphone are now on sale for $1500 in the US.