Google Glass, having been through the grinder, is seeing yet another specialized use for it, something not even remotely close to its intended use. Schipol, the main international airport in the Netherlands, has its staff equipped with the Glass to check gate and flight information.
There is an app developed for this, using which the staff can request information from the device- gate/flight details, and the details will appear on their phones via the Glass. These trials commenced a month ago. Another neat feature that hopes to be added soon is measurements of barrier placement distances on the taxiway, where the planes takeoff. It is not known whether this a permanent thing, though. The airport will take a decision somewhere around next year.
This is the second endeavor that comes to light, with the airport at Edinburgh arming their welcome staff with the Glass to provide flight information, answer queries or translate foreign languages for travelers, back in 2014.
The security concerns that hound the Glass wherever it makes an appearance should be subdued by the fact that it will be airport officials wearing them- privacy invasions will be literally zero. Google has wisely given up pushing Glass to become a crowd fixture. The Glass project is now being overseen by Nest Labs- a home automation company- in Palo Alto.
Socially, it turned out to be a bust, but it definitely has great potential in the uncharted waters of industrial applications and businesses. Information transmission and exchange speeds are vital in some areas, and it can definitely step up to the challenge.
