Conclusion

Smart glasses are the new up and coming technology.  Just like cell phones, they have the ability to access information on the go, like GPS and emails.  They also have the ability to record video and images at the simplest voice command.  All of this can be done while wearing a simple head piece that look like glasses.  This kind of technology comes with issues and concerns, much like cell phones did.  Safety is always important, so driving while operating these glasses is a valid argument.  Privacy concerns, such as being recorded by a stranger, are also legitimate.  The technology is not quite ready for wide spread general use, or even specific functional use within specific industries, but it is being refined.  It won't be long until everyone has a set of wearable computers.

Social Implications

The recording capabilities, much like a smart phone, can lead to people being concerned for their privacy.  When people are concerned they are being watched or recorded, their behavior changes.  This could very well happen with smart glasses becoming more popular.  Much like cameras on police officers change the behavior of the officer and the individual opposite of them, the same could be said for smart glasses.  Women could become more concerned and paranoid that men are recording them in private situations, and minorities could be concerned that their information is being tracked due to the facial recognition software.  The wearer's behavior could also change.  The movements required to make the technology work, such as touching the side pad, or voice commands, could lend to bizarre looking behavior.

            There are some positive implications too.  Social research could be better recorded for a better understanding of whatever the researcher is trying to study (Lupton, 2013).  The behavior of the research participants in different social situations could easily be recorded, as well as the point of view of the participant if they choose to also wear the glasses.  While the negative seems to stand out more when it comes to privacy issues and social implications, there are positives to it as well.

Safety and Privacy

There have been questions raised about the safety and privacy of these glasses.  The etiquette behind using such technology in public is not written in stone, as this is the first time such technology has really been used.  Like cell phones, the ability to record your surroundings is at the users fingertips.  Unlike cell phones, though, recording is slightly more discreet as it is being done from the glasses, and not a phone held in the hand.  This becomes a privacy issue for those in the vicinity of the user.  People do not care for being recorded without their consent, and it's difficult to obtain consent from those surrounding you while you're making a life-log recording (Jacquemard, Novitzky, O'brolcháin, Smeaton, & Gordijn, 2014).  It is also thought that any recordings could be confiscated by government and corporations and be used as surveillance (Jacquemard, et. all, 2014)  While that may seem extreme, it is just one of the number of privacy concerns people have about this technology.

            Safety issues are also a concern.  There are laws that limit the usage of cell phones while driving, but there are none for smart glasses.  This is because the technology is still not fully developed, and it's difficult to make regulations on something that is not in use yet.  That hasn't stopped some government bodies, such as the government in the United Kingdom.  Smart glasses have already been banned while driving (Millward, 2013).  In West Virginia, state Representative Gary G. Howell moved to change the current texting while driving law to include "using a wearable computer with head mounted display (Griggs, 2013)."  Because the glasses could impede an individual's line of sight, they could pose as a distraction much like texting.

Future Uses

As smart glasses become more popular and refined, the possible uses for them are great.  Taking their capabilities and placing them into an industry such as healthcare or manufacturing could widen their usage greatly, and make them a viable option in the future.  They have been implemented in small areas of healthcare, such as medical records, but possible uses go beyond that.  Surgeons could utilize the internet and streaming capabilities during surgeries to create educational videos for future surgeons to study.  The surgeon can also have an overlay of information about the patient and the particular surgery they are performing.  The doctor could also do real-time consulting through the glasses, which could prove to be more efficient.  For emergency services, the glasses are being tested in ambulances in the Chicago area.  The Emergency Service Worker would be able to receive information about why they are being dispatched and the location they are dispatched to.  The wearer would also be able to send video and audio to emergency room doctors about the patient being transported by ambulance (P., n.d.).  This could not only aid the doctor in preparing for the patients arrival, but assist the emergency worker in giving the patient the proper care needed to survive the ambulance ride.

            Other industries could benefit as well.  Plumbers could use the eyewear to create tutorials for other plumbers, or for the homeowner wanting to attempt a DYI project.  A package delivery worker could scan the packages with the eyewear instead of a handheld device, which would allow both hands to carry the package instead of straining to carry both (Phillips, 2014).  A police officer, as well as the package delivery worker, could wear them to record the activities they perform, whether it's an arrest being made or a package being delivered.  This provides video of whatever has happened during the wearers working hours for any individual who may file a complaint.  With the unlimited possibilities of the smart glass technology comes the issues of safety and privacy.

Current Use

Currently, smart glasses are not widely used outside of the general public.  For the lucky few who have acquired the glasses through the Google lottery or through Beta purchase, the glasses are generally used for entertainment and "life-blogging" purposes.  The built in camera allows for pictures or videos to be taken with a simple voice command.  Chris Kluwe, former professional punter in the NFL, would wear them while practicing field goals and punts during practice times.  He would then upload the video onto his cloud storage, and then share it with his Twitter followers.  The glasses have several built-in apps, as well as apps that can be downloaded onto the device, and provide the wearer with lots of options.  They can be used as a GPS, an overlay of information about a sports game being watched, or movie watching while waiting at the doctor's office.

            While the main use is just general entertainment, the technology has been implemented in small ways in various professional areas.  Some healthcare systems around the world, such as in the United Kingdom, have implemented them for health record use.  The wearer can pull up a patient's health record, and it will be displayed right in front of the wearers view (Google Glass & Medopad: Rich and Dan Tell Their Story, 2014).  A few journalists have also used them during live broadcasts to give the viewer the perspective of the journalist, and to give the feel of being there in the moment.  Even though the technology has not been implemented widely as of yet, the future uses are broad and exciting.