Robot-Proof

4One GPU, One Vote

Figure 4.1 shows me meeting President Obama at the White House. To be clear, I'm not in the photo; I'm the camera. This is the first ever presidential portrait taken by Google Glass.¹

My wife and I had been invited to the White House for its 2nd Annual Pride Celebration² with the President and Vice President Biden both attending. At the time, I was wearing Google Glass every day. For more than two years, I attached a bright blue computer to my face and pretended it was normal. Imagine the kind of product loyalty it takes to get someone to willingly look like a jackass (or “glasshole,” as people would mutter under their breath as I walked by). In fact, when I received the invitation to a formal ball at the White House, it never occurred to me that I wouldn't wear my Glass. The reason for my fanaticism wasn't Google or Glass, however; I had built myself a superpower.

Now, I swear that I asked the Secret Service if I could wear my face-computer with built-in live camera inside the White House. I showed them to the fellow at the door, and he said, “That's fine.”³ So, my ridiculous headgear and I entered the East Wing to mingle with both the current and future presidents.⁴

Figure 4.1 Google Glass taking a photo of President Obama.

My wife and I are not antisocial—asocial might be a better description. I was honored to be invited, but the idea of making small ...