Google Glass returns to ensure people do their jobs properly

The company has a promising new vision for the divisive headset

Aatif Sulleyman
Wednesday 19 July 2017 10:57 BST
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The new version of Glass can last for up to eight hours
The new version of Glass can last for up to eight hours (Google)

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Google Glass has returned with a brand new vision.

The wearable was widely thought to have been killed off after failing to impress consumers, but it’s now been reimagined for the workplace.

Google Glass Enterprise Edition is designed to help businesses maximise the output of their employees.

Its miniature display can be used to show members of staff instructions, so they don’t have to constantly abandon their work in order to consult a physical manual or computer.

The headset can also let workers quickly report problems they’ve found, or be used to record and transcribe conversations, which could benefit medics in particular.

Wearers begin their tasks by saying, “Okay Glass, proceed”, reports Wired.

“Workers in many fields, like manufacturing, logistics, field services, and healthcare find it useful to consult a wearable device for information and other resources while their hands are busy,” wrote Jay Kothari, Google Glass’ product lead.

“That’s why we’ve spent the last two years working closely with a network of more than 30 expert partners to build customized software and business solutions for Glass for people in these fields.

“We’ve also made improvements to the design and hardware so that it’s lightweight and comfortable for long term wear. We’ve increased the power and battery life too.”

The new version of Glass can last for up to eight hours, and has been equipped with an 8-megapixel camera and a more powerful processor.

The previous version could only last up to five hours off a full charge and used a 5-megapixel camera. It was also buggy, raised privacy concerns in public and didn’t serve a clear purpose.

The move to the workplace seems to make sense.

Another huge criticism that was levelled at the consumer version of Glass was that it made people look silly, but that isn’t as big a worry at work.

It’s being sold through a number of software companies that specialise in a range of field, including healthcare, logistics and manufacturing.

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