Apple Working On Video Goggles

Hrmpf has stumbled upon a new patent application from Apple for a new peripheral that would change the way people view videos on their iPhones and iPods. Titled "Head Mounted Display System", the patent is for a method of displaying images within a goggle-like headset. Although headsets similar to the one described have been around for a while, the patent describes decoupling the laser engine from the headset itself to make it less bulky.

"A user simply plugs their handheld video player such as the iPod manufactured by Apple Computer of Cupertino, Calif., into the compact laser engine attached to their belt, and places the headset on their head. The user then selects a video to be played at the handheld video player (viewing through transparent display elements)."

One thing notably cool about their system is that while the goggles are not being used to play video, ""no images are being created and thus the display unit acts just like glasses." They even suggest that prescription lenses could be placed in them to let them function just like normal glasses.