Much of what we see and hear about Google Glass is consumer-focused, but that doesn’t mean the product won’t have commercial or other uses. How Glass is used will be highly dependent on apps and services for the connected wearable. One company thinks Glass is the final piece of the puzzle when it comes to public safety.
Mutualink is showcasing Google Glass this week at APCO 2013 in Anaheim, CA, a conference created by and for the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials.
The company already offers connectivity services for public safety works in the form of FirstNet, a dedicated 700 MHz LTE network for such workers spearheaded by Alcatel-Lucent . By pairing the network connection with Google Glass, Mutualink’s press release says the wearable display can be used for these and more situations:
- Firemen reviewing the schematic of a building before entering and while navigating a burning structure
- EMTs triaging patients at the scene of an accident with current medical records of victims
- Police being able to watch video feed from school security cameras in real-time during an active shooter scenario
I like the concept here because in an emergency response situation, more information can allow for better decisions that save lives. And there are times when emergency workers need both hands; holding a phone to look at data, maps or video feeds can limit what a safety worker can do, while a wearable display is perfect for the job.
The idea for Google Glass in emergency situations actually isn’t new. Last month, we shared CPRGLASS, an app to walk a Google Glass wearer through the process of administering CPR while it calls 9-1-1 at the same time.
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