The original Google Glass may have been a failure, but the company hasn’t backed down from rolling out new iterations of the augmented reality (AR) eyewear and is now introducing the Glass Enterprise Edition 2, AR eyewear designed to work in the industrial space such as logistics, manufacturing and field services.
The AR glasses allow users to access information or tools in a hands-free way overlayed in view of the real world. Workers can access checklists, view instructions or send inspection photos or videos.
The Glass Enterprise 2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 platform and an artificial intelligence engine that supports computer vision and machine learning capabilities as well as power savings and enhanced performance. Google said it worked with Smith Optics to make safety frames for different types of demanding work environments such as manufacturing and maintenance facilities.
Glass Enterprise 2 is built on Android and it has a built-in USB-C port for fast charging, increased overall battery life and an improved camera for better first-person video streaming and collaboration features.
Google Glass was one of the first implementations of mixed reality, but it didn’t take off with consumers and quickly died out in the market. The lasting impact of Google Glass — along with the popularity of Pokémon Go — are still being felt today, however. AR has taken off in a variety of markets from gaming and the industrial space to military and criminal justice and more.
Most recently Nike introduced an AR app to help gauge shoe sizes, Google added AR to its Google Search and Google Maps services, LEGO Group added AR to its toy lineup and the technology is now integrated into some next-generation automotive vehicles.
