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Google's augmented reality glasses venture, Project Glass, took another step closer to mainstream production as orders for the first test units were opened for software developers last week.

The announcement was made at the Google Input/Output developer conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, after a team of skydivers demonstrated the potential of the glasses by filming the landing on the roof of the exhibition hall.

A number of software developers put their names forward for a pair of the $1,500 'Explorer Edition' glasses, which are expected to ship in the first half of 2013. The specifications of the glasses were not announced and demonstrations were just limited to theoretical scenarios when its head-up display could be used.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin told the conference the glasses would cost considerably less when they go on sale some time in 2014.