Google has just created a team to develop an augmented reality operating system for an unspecified “innovative AR device.”
The team, “Operating System Team for Augmented Reality at Google”, is led by Mark Lucovsky, who joined Google this week and previously worked at Meta on an Android alternative and co-authored Windows NT.
According to a Google job posting, the augmented reality OS team creates “software components that control and manage hardware in augmented reality products.”
“We are focused on making immersive computing accessible to many people on mobile devices,” says a senior software engineer vacancy, who will also help “deliver impressive augmented reality experiences across highly customizable hardware platforms.” The rest of the vacancies invite developers specializing in cameras and input equipment, and some mention “development of a real-time operating system (RTOS)“.
Most of the positions are open in the United States, but some are awaiting applicants in Waterloo, Canada. This is where North, an augmented reality glasses company — produced Focals smart glasses, which Google acquired last year, is based.
Google already has its own Android operating systems, Chrome OS and Cast, as well as Fuchsia. The company now appears to be looking to work on a new OS for next-generation hardware that will presumably work with voice commands and visual recognition.