Google names first Glass at Work certified partners

It might not be ready for consumers but Google’s controversial smart headset is about to officially arrive in the workplace.

The first five companies chosen for the scheme — which will be allowed to create specific apps for Google Glass — are focused on healthcare, culture, sports and entertainment and enterprise. And it means that although they’re still a rare sight at the local branch of Starbucks or on public transport, Google Glass could soon become a fixture at museums, stadiums, clinics and hospitals.

For example, one of the five initial partners, Augmedix is developing services via Glass for doctors that will help them spend more time focused on their patients and less time staring at a computer or chasing up records and other information.

Created though a pilot scheme that has been running at Dignity Health since January, the apps have cut doctors’ data input time from 33%  of the working day to 9%, while upping direct patient care from 35% to 70%. All thanks to Glass. The company has even posted a video to show how the device is changing the way doctors work.

Meanwhile GuidiGo is looking at bringing cultural exhibitions to life by augmenting the museum and art gallery experience with Glass to help tell stories and link exhibits and artifacts together.

The full list of initial partners can be viewed on the Google developers blog.

For many consumers, it’s still not clear how Google Glass will improve their lives or offer something that they can’t already obtain from the smartphone that is already in their pocket (and not stuck to their head), but what is becoming clear is that there are a host of business uses for the device that really could make a big difference.

Since announcing the Glass at Work initiative, Google says that it has received applications from hundreds of enterprise developers and that more partners will be announced and their ideas for Glass showcased in the coming months. — Relaxnews 2014