Google Glass 2.0—Primed for the Enterprise: Foldable, Rugged and Waterproof
When it was introduced in February 2013, Google Glass 1.0 was far ahead of its time. Consumers and developers identified many issues that needed to be addressed and, although some have adopted the hardware, it was deemed unsuitable for widespread use by consumers or enterprise customers.
Over two years later, in early summer 2015, Google began showing key developers and sharing with the media that it is working on the next generation of Glass, code named “Project Aura” powered by Intel.
The new device is geared for professional users. Employees using the information provided via the wearable display will be able to perform tasks with fewer human errors while enhancing productivity and operational efficiency.
The new “ruggedized” Google Glass hardware design is said to be easy to fold and more durable in work environments. Some options include the ability to clip the tiny display unit on the existing eyewear.
Perhaps Google Glass 2.0 is primed to grow in many industries such as oil and gas, warehousing, manufacturing, agriculture and mining. The likely impacts depend on the use cases and company readiness for change.
The Benefits of Hands-Free Displays in Warehousing Operations
In April 2014, DHL published a report describing how logistics operations can be improved with the assistance of hands-free wearable devices. The use cases fell into four categories:
- Warehouse operations
- Transportation optimization
- Last mile delivery
- Service and repair and other enhanced services
The evidence to support the assertion that warehouse picking can be improved, the first use case identified in the DHL study, is mounting.
- In January 2015, DHL published results of a study involving 20,000 items and 9,000 orders using Vuzix M100 technology with Ricoh and software applications designed by Ubimax. The study measured a 25% increase in efficiency.
- According to Active Ants, a Dutch company specializing in warehouse operations for e-commerce order fulfillment, if the picking process is carried out with the support of Google Glass, the process is 15 % faster when compared to the manual picking process.
- The same study reveals that Google Glass helps in reducing the errors during the picking process by 12%.
- A Belgium-based startup, Smart Pick, also develops Google Glass applications for order picking.
Google Glass can also be used for reducing the cost of warehouse redesign as well as factory planning but studies about metrics for these use cases are not available at this time.
The Future of Google Glass
Will Google Glass 2.0 address the issues seen in the first prototype? This remains to be seen, but with several confirmed reports on the changes and improvements Google is making with Glass 2.0, it is evident that Google is all-in on changing the future of computing through wearables and, ultimately, with Augmented Reality.
Have you tested Google Glass 2.0? Share your thoughts and feedback below.