Google Glass "died" in 2015. And while there have been many rumors about a second-generation version, it has yet to officially materialize.
But as it turns out, Google Glass isn't completely dead! Sure, for most people, especially teenagers who wear glasses, Google Glass will never be a fashionable accessory. But for factory workers, smart glasses are more practical than tablets!
Heather Erickson, who works in tractor engine assembly for agricultural equipment manufacturer AGCO, is one such worker who has found smart glasses to be quite useful for her job.
Erickson says she uses the glass to view photos and videos and scan serial numbers for specific parts she's working on. She even uses voice commands to dictate notes for the next worker. And if she forgets where something goes, she can even find an instruction manual and display it through the glass's small screen, without having to leave her workspace and search for it on a computer.
With the glasses, ACGO has seen quality checks show a 20 percent increase in speed. The company is also using the wearable to train new employees.
The company says it previously used tablets to train and assign workers to assemble, but since they are more prone to falls and damage, it has switched to using glasses. Now the company plans to double the number it uses, from 100 to 200. Peggy Gullick, the company’s director of business process improvement, says Google Glass “is not only acceptable but desirable.”
This is not surprising, however. Smart glasses with augmented reality applications have always worked best for specific use cases in the business sector, where they are more useful for technical tasks.
