Finally, Larry Page and Sergey Brin have their dream come true. Google has brought out hands-free, mobile and seamless internet on a pair of eyeglasses, making search possible as you walk around.

Google on Wednesday offered a peep into the project to develop internet-connected glasses, entering the futuristic area of wearable computing, ahead of rival Apple, which is also planning a wearable computer.

The wearing glass, which is still in the prototype stage, uses a small see-through display screen placed above a person's eye to show maps and other data. The system can be operated through voice commands to pull up directions or send a message.

Built-in microphones let wearers command the internet-linked glasses by speaking.

Rival Apple had, as far back as in April 2008, filed a patent for a head-mounted display system that has glasses with screens.

"We think technology should work for you - be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don't," members of the project team said in a Google+ post.

"A group of us from Google X (Labs) started `Project Glass' to build this kind of technology; one that helps you explore and share your world."

The frames of the eyeglasses feature tiny cameras and on-lens displays to discretely show information such as walking directions, weather forecasts or messages from friends.

"We took a few design photos to show what this technology could look like and created a video to demonstrate what it might enable you to do," Google said, stressing that the glasses were a concept far from being brought to market.

"We're sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input."

The project team invited people to express ideas for the glasses at the Google+ page.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin is deeply involved with the X Labs that is working on a self-driving car.

Google had poached on Apple to bring Richard W DeVaul, an engineer who specialises in wearable computers, to its technology team at X-Labs. DeVaul's is now working in a Google team run by Astro Teller, a specialist in artificial intelligence and wearable devices.

Another Google researcher, Babak Parviz, and an associate professor at the University of Washington, who specialises in bio-nanotechnology, recently built a contact lens with embedded electronics that form a miniature display - raising the possibility of the 'Project Eyeglass' one day becoming 'Project Contact Lens'.

 
Meanwhile, a number of wearable computing devices are doing the rounds now. These include a bracelet being sold by footwear and sports goods maker Nike, called the FuelBand that tracks a person's activity. Some other companies are also selling similar products.

Motorola sells a head-mounted display device, called Golden-1 that displays images on a screen that hangs on an arm in front of the wearer.