Google Glass, the ill-fated, before-its-time augmented reality headset, is back — more than two years after the company killed the consumer version.
Today, Google X has announced a new Enterprise Edition of the tech designed for use in industry, rather than wearing around on the street.
The lens can now be built into a pair of safety goggles and is described as an aid to help workers stay hands-on, work smarter and gather instant expertise.
For example, in a post on the X website Google says the new version “intuitively fits into your workflow and helps you remain engaged and focused on high value work by removing distractions. A quick ‘OK Glass’ can activate the right application for you at any time.”
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Meanwhile it’ll also offer access to training videos, QA checklists and annotated images, while connecting to co-workers with a ‘see what you see’ live video stream.
Companies like General Electric, DHL, Samsung and Volkswagen as well as a multitude of healthcare companies, researchers and electronics firms have been part of developing the next-gen Glass over the last 2 years.
The device now has more power and improved battery life.
In a post on Medium, Jay Kothari Project Lead for Glass wrote: “
“Now the Glass product team is back at X, and we’ll be collaborating with the Google Cloud team and our partners to help customers across a variety of business sectors make the most of Glass. Together, we’re looking forward to seeing more businesses give their workers a way to work faster and in a more focused way, hands-free.”
Last month, the original Google Glass Explorer Edition received an update that introduced Bluetooth connectivity for the first time.
Do you think Google Glass would have enjoyed a better reception now we’re fully on board with AR? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
