Usability evaluation of two smart glass systems

Wearable computing has long been in development but "smart glasses" have just recently emerged as a viable platform for the personal and industrial sectors. Two recent implementations, Google Glass and the Vuzix M100 both contain an internet-enabled computer, battery, speaker, camera, and voice and touch controls in an eyeglass form factor. The user can capture and see images, capture and play videos, capture and listen to audio, and connect to the internet via the small heads-up display mounted in front of one of the user's eyes. We developed a generic voice-controlled Android tutorial application for these devices that can be loaded with training content as needed for multi-step, complex processes. We found that neither Glass nor the M100 is ready for "prime time". Glass suffers from overheating, awkward placement of the on/off switch, toggling of voice navigation, and a fixed camera placement while the M100 has a burdensome hardware design, obstruction of view in the display eye, and lack of an expansive library for voice recognition. Despite these shortcomings, smart glasses show great promise as a means for delivering hands-free training content. We predict that the hands-free, personalized functionality of future models will accelerate learning of complex multistep processes and allow for real-time access of vital information in sterile or roving environments. As such, recommendations are made for the features of the ideal smart glass platform.