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"Leonardo Da Vinci, the 15th-century Renaissance man, is credited with envisioning or outright inventing hundreds of modern-day devices; facsimiles of everything from a machine gun to parachutes and even today's helicopter can be found in his detailed drawings. \nThe schematics and notes he left behind are a treasure trove for researchers, including Dr. Burt Wilde. The University of Illinois researcher says he\u2019s discovered evidence that the first design for something very much like Google Glass was created by the master himself.\n\u201CThe drawing is rudimentary, but the text and notation are unmistakable,\u201D said Wilde in a phone interview. \nThe 29-year-old nuclear physicist has been poring over Da Vinci\u2019s work for the better part of three years, searching not for Google Glass, but for some fresh ideas on cold fusion.\n\u201CIt\u2019s not that I think Da Vinci imagined nuclear power \u2013- although, I guess he could have \u2013- but he did have unique ways of thinking about everyday problems,\" he said. \"I believe current research in the area has stagnated.\u201D \nWilde never did find his fusion inspiration. However, while examining Da Vinci's drawings at Biblioteca Ambrosiana, a library in Milan that houses the world\u2019s largest collection of Da Vinci's works, Wilde noticed something odd in one particularly tattered corner.\n\u201CThe drawing [see above] was smaller than others around it and I had, at first, a hard time deciphering the notes, but there was something almost familiar in there,\u201D recalled Wilde.\nWhat he found was a drawing of a man\u2019s head with some sort of eyewear on it. The bar around the head was relatively thin and started behind one ear, wrapped around the face and looked like it continued over the other ear. As depicted in the drawing, it was supported on the bridge of the nose by two rather painful-looking pins. Attached to one side of the bar, near the eye closest to the viewer in the drawing, was a small box and what almost looked like a monocle.  \n\u201CIn that lens, Da Vinci had drawn another image. It was hard to make out, but it looked like another scene,\u201D said Wilde.\nHe told Mashable the notes describe the eyewear as \u201COcchiovita Immagine,\u201D which roughly translates to \"Eye Life Picture.\" The notes go on to describe the experience of wearing the Occhiovitas, as Wilde has taken to calling them. Man would see his life and another life or activity on top of that life. \n\"Da Vinci did not use the word 'activity,\" said Wilde. \"The words were really something like \u2018importante testo,\u2019 which means \u2018important text.\u2019 The astounding thing is that Da Vinci actually imagined this \u2018text\u2019 on top of your life. Just like Google Glass!\u201D\nWilde spent weeks examining additional Da Vinci drawing pages, but found no further reference to Occhiovitas. Scientists, though, have since verified the authenticity of this \u201CGoogle Glass\u201D drawing section as an original Da Vinci work. (The full image is below.)\n\u201CI simply cannot believe no one noticed this before. Maybe it\u2019s because Google Glass didn\u2019t exist a few years ago and no one would have paid attention to something that, at first glance, might have looked like a simple pair of glasses,\" said Wilde. \"I can\u2019t imagine that would be an amazing find.\"\nGoogle, in the meantime, has been mum on the topic. Mashable contacted Google repeatedly, but has yet to receive a comment.\nWhatever the response, it will be hard to refute the facts. Da Vinci\u2019s drawings are real, and the master conjured up images of wearable technology like Google Glass centuries before Google co-founder and chief Google Glass proponent Sergey Brin was even born.\n[Editor's Note: 1) April Fools! 2) The incredible Da Vinci recreations seen above and below were penned by intern Bob Al-Greene.]\n\nBonus: Google Glasses on Famous Faces\r\n\n\nGoogle Glasses on Famous Faces\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPrince William and Kate Middleton\n\"Google Glasses, add Kate to the 'Royal Family' Google+ circle.\" Image courtesy of flickr/UP_repsome\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPaula Deen\n\n\"Google Glasses, find me the shortest route to the nearest bulk wholesale store. I need to get some butter for dinner tonight.\" \nImage courtesy of flickr/Bristol Motor Speedway &amp; Dragway\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHipster Ariel\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMeryl Streep\n\n\"Google Glasses, create a '3 time Oscar winner' Google+ circle for me.  Do not let Hillary Swank join.\" \nImage courtesy of flickr/Beacon Radio\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSarah Palin\n\n\"Google Glasses, where can I get a good moose burger in this town?\"\nImage courtesy of flickr/NewsHour\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLady Gaga\n\"Can call all you want but there's no one home, and you're not gonna reach my Google Glasses\"Image Courtesy of flickr/Michael_Spencer\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSuccess Kid\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChristina Aguilera\n\n\"Google Glasses, find me a route home where I won't have to sign any autographs for fans\" \nImage Courtesy of flickr / ChristinaAguileraChina\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSamuel L Jackson\n\n\"Glasses, when I ask you a question, I expect an answer.  Say 'WHAT' to me one more time....\"\nImage courtesy of flickr/neovain\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJustin Bieber\n\n\"Google Glasses, what time am I supposed to meet Selena tonight? \"\nImage Courtesy of flickr / Hubert Burda Media\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGeorge Takei\n\n\"Glasses, please show me a new lolcat every 20 seconds for the rest of my life.\"\nImage courtesy of flickr/preloc and kanar\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOne Direction\n\n\"Google Glasses, please alert us when a mob of 15 year old girls is approaching.\"\nImage courtesy of flickr/donkeyjacket45\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEllen Degeneres \n\"Google glasses, please play happy music that I can dance to at all times during the day. And, don't forget to DVR American Idol tonight!\"Image courtesy of flickr/rompaulrevolt2008\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPresident Obama\n\"Now I can secretly watch Homeland all day.\" Image courtesy of flickr/jurvetson\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKim Kardashian\n\n\"Aww, what a pretty sunset. Google Glasses, take a picture and sent it to Kanye.\"\nImage courtesy of flickr/bdhq\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nScumbag Steve\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKristen Wiig\n\n\"Google Glasses, send an invite to Tina and Amy - see if they want to go see Titanic 3D tonight.  We could use a good laugh.\"\nImage courtesy of flickr/Josh Jensen\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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