Google Glass – The Smart Wearable Intelligence

Glasses have now evolved to become wearable intelligence. Not only do they help you see the world around you – they now allow you to interact with it. Glasses are worn to enhance vision, fix eyesight, or block the sun. Could glasses do more? That was the question Google inventors asked when they came up with the solution “Google Glass”.

Google glass is a new age technology advancement that is wearable just like regular glasses. It works with a new technology called optical head-mounted display (OHMD).

When you have the glasses on, Google Glass displays information in a format similar to your smartphone. Wearers communicate with the Internet via natural language voice commands. With advances in Gyroscope (image stability) and accelerometer (focusing), the device allows images to stay oriented and measure distances between objects. Ultimately, Google Glass can do anything your smart phone can and allows you to engage in life around you. Google Glass is not a stand-alone device; it’s designed for use with a tablet or Smartphone. Giving its users access to short messaging systems (SMS) such as texting and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for location tracking
and orientation.

Applications in the field of Oil and Gas

Wearable technology is considered the next mega trend according to leading research institutes. IMS research, a leading provider of market research to the global electronics field, stated, “The wearable technology is expected to exceed $6 Billion by 2016.”

Leading this trend is a Munich Based company called Wearable Technologies (WT). WT is pioneering solutions for technologies that are worn close to the body, on the body, and even in the body. Wearable Technologies software and the hands free functions of Glass eliminate carrying bulky, cumbersome checklists and tablets into the field. Given that they were leaders in this innovation they made the perfect partner for Google and their glass initiatives.

Steve Lee Product Director, Google Glass, stated: “I’m excited about the applications for Glass that Wearable Intelligence has developed. They’re solving important problems for industry-leading customers and creating a huge opportunity for Google Glass in the enterprise.” Merging the two technologies has made the device valuable in the field. Adaptability paired with accessible information streamlines operations by creating a common starting point for all users.

The merging of the two innovations has led to technology that speeds information exchange of company data such as schematics, blueprints, maps, location, job specs and analytics to name a few – all which are onsite considerations that can be streamed back to project teams and head offices.

Visible Safety Benefits

Communicating via Google Glass can potentially decrease catastrophic events, due to real-time supervision of industry leaders while completing tasks hands-on. Web Conferencing ability connects team players globally. Safety checks are completed in half the time noting variance in equipment operation allowing technicians address on the job challenges in a quick and safe way, prioritizing repairs.

Partners of Google’s Explorer Program

Given the strategic advantages of Google Glass, Schlumberger, has embraced the technology putting it to use in the field service industry. The Glass Explorer Program emerged to test and apply the various capabilities of Google Glass in the oil and gas industry. Schlumberger’s advantage was testing a prototype well in advance of it’s market penetration and delineating it’s maximum potential.

Ashok Belani, CTO, Schlumberger Ltd. shared his enthusiasm, “We’re very excited to be working with Wearable Intelligence to bring wearable-technology based solutions to the energy services sector. The bulk of our work happens in the field and I can see a future where wearable technology enables every engineer access to the right information at the right time.”

Chase Feiger, Co- Founder of Wearable Technologies, reviews usability, performance and analytic side of Wearable Technologies + Google Glass in the field of oil and gas.
he explains, “We give skilled service operators Hands-free Workflow for completing standardized procedures. All head gestures and voice commands in field data can be collected through dictated messages, photos, and videos. Later in the day, operations managers can ask why it takes this worker 5, 10, or 30 minutes to do a task when it is supposed to take two minutes. As each step is completed in workflow, the length of time is saved in the backend analytics system.”

Glass Apps

David Vaucher, is the co-founder of Wearadyne, a company focused on delivering wearable technology solutions for the oil and gas industry by developing Digital TallyBook. Digital TallyBook is an app used in conjunction with Glass. This app will allow Field Engineers to load the device with project specifications, reducing preparation time and eliminating hand recording data and ticking checklists. This app will be an off the shelf companion
to workers in the industry.

Vision Revolution

What we can say about the vision revolution is that it will change the world we live and work in. Faster information exchange: decreased task time; reduced costs, increases data collection, and analysis are all part of the outcomes we can expect. It’s uncertain just how far this technology will take us but it is certain that it will provide companies with unprecedented ways to operate that save us time and money. In this economy that’s
a welcome change!