Back in 2013, Google X launched the Google Glass wearable headset which was just as much off-putting as it was ahead of its time. Criticized for potentially infringing upon privacy, the glasses featured a heads-up display and allowed users to access the web and also to take pictures and video.
Lackluster response caused engineers to table the product as they tweaked it for the right user, and it seems they’ve found it – Wired’s Backchannel is reporting that the new Google Glass Enterprise Edition has actually been designed with factory workers in mind.
Instead of focusing on consumers, the new Enterprise version goes where it should’ve gone in the first place: Workers who need access to real-time information in a way that keeps their hands free. The report describes build-to-order applications where workers often need explicit, step-by-step instructions for each highly customized piece. Specifically, "Menu items offer the options to go to the next step, take a picture, ask for help, and more. When a step is done, the worker says, ‘OK, Glass, proceed,’ and the process repeats.”
The Google Glass technology component can be attached to safety glasses and has been engineered to be lighter in weight and offer a longer battery life than previous versions. Business Insider says that hundreds of factory workers from companies like Boeing, GE, and VW have been “secretly” using the devices in their plants over the last two years.