Patents on wearable tech for fashion and function

Google Glass, the futuristic augmented reality glasses from Google, are a reality -- but no one really knows if the world is ready for them. Too geeky for your parents, too creepy for the luddites, and too dorky looking for the image conscious -- who are they for?

It seems like the world is on the edge of a wearable technology revolution. The Internet of Things is bringing the power of sensors, communication, and interoperability to just about everything, and it's happening fast. From clothes, to sports, to our very own bodies, tiny, wearable computers are becoming part of the world.

The cyborg-like Google Glass project will connect us with a vast library of information, allowing us to navigate maps, chat with friends thousands of miles away, and look up virtually anything from an enhanced heads-up display. Apple has visions of flexible-wrist displays and technology-enhanced sports, and Microsoft is using electrical signals from muscles to control video games.

It's all part of a new world that's building function into fashion. Take a look at some of the recently filed patents that you could soon be wearing.