How Google Glass Could Change the Face of the Building Industry
With all the chatter surrounding Google Glass, I’ve often found myself wondering how such a unique piece of technology could become integrated into real world, practical situations. Most of what we hear about Google Glass—whether good or bad—involves its use as a consumer product. But what about its capabilities for users in business settings? Have we been forgetting to look at the Channel in all our talk of Google Glass? A recent New York Times article seeks to address this issue by pointing out that a much more likely use for Google Glass will be professional settings: medical, technical support, and yes, maybe even the building products industry.
To recap the article, just a few of the many industries the New York Times outlines as having the potential to be impacted by Google Glass:
- Engineering
- Car repair
- Architecture
- Lumberjacking
- Construction
What does a builder in the Channel do when he or she runs into an issue while installing a product? Today, he might make a call, consult a handbook or even search for a solution on a mobile device. But with wearable devices like Google Glass, new solutions are right in front of our eyes…literally. Imagine a builder being able to watch an instructional clip as they attempt to troubleshoot a tricky product or installation – or better yet, imagine that same builder is able to use his Google Glass to video conference with a room of experts who can offer their assistance. Is it as flashy as getting walking directions to the nearest Starbucks? Probably not, but it seems a much more likely scenario to me.
While it’s impossible to look into a crystal ball and see the future of this technology for consumers (though that might be a good idea for an app in the Google Play store), one thing is clear for Google Glass: it has the capability to change the way we look at the building industry.
