Google Glass; part of life or permanent prototype?

It is currently down to creative speculation or forward thinkers to bridge the gap between the current Google Glass device and the point where its adoption and proliferation happens. It will happen, the actual future device will be a shade of its current self but the blending of this type of technology into our lives as non-interruptive interfaces is happening, as wearables or integrated with cars, buildings, planes and other everyday objects.

At the moment Google Glass is clearly aimed at the individual, the tech savvy futurist, the kind of person that has lots of connected time, immersed in social channels. The limitations of Google Glass only really makes it a social tool for now, but this is the very first version of what will be one of many formats of wearable devices. This I believe is an intentional first step by Google to work through the early prototype phases of wide spread use before it can include more task specific software/hardware and expand the range of solutions it can provide.

There are always two key factors that affect what technology is available and in use.

• The first is the technical capacity, it has to be technically possible and without a small nation budget to make it available to a market.
• The second is user adoption, nearly every piece of technology that is everyday now has taken years to become part of our lives and has been moulded along the way. As we accept technology it becomes more ingrained in our lives and more readily adopted.

So the personal use will drive ahead the use of Google Glass, but this won’t stop the more adventurous trying to get ahead of the curve. It won’t be long before the device is being proposed for productive application, such as alternative documenting camera for emergency services or inspection teams. Surgeons conducting operations can relay the procedure to teams of consultants or in a similar style bomb disposal teams. Head up display uses such are directions for drivers, instruction manuals for complex tasks are all obvious current suggestions.

To really stretch the bounds of possibilities, once the current technology designed for driverless cars is improved it could be combined with Google Glass to give auditory or other sensory advice to blind users, kerbs, traffic crossings, shop locations, shelved products etc.

The future use of Google Glass is only bound by our drive for creative application, the real stumbling block is our willingness to adopt and use such devices as the norm, and this takes years.