Google Glass Could Be a Huge Boon for Manufacturing

Proponents of Google Glass believe that the wearable computer will radically redefine how we interact with technology. Earlier this year, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said that smartphones were "emasculating" by comparison, as they tie up users' hands while disconnecting them from the external world and society. In Brin's mind, Glass overcomes these hurdles, and opens up a new realm of possibilities for those who wear them.

The implications of the technology could be huge for healthcare as well. Surgeons, for instance, could use Glass in the operating room to pull up patient data or get a second opinion from a remote physician. Last month, surgeon Rafael Grossman announced that he had used Glass to live-stream an endoscopic procedure. A growing number of medical apps for Glass are also in the works.

The technology could have powerful manufacturing-related applications as well. One of the trailblazers in this space is Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies (ITAMCO), which has debuted a free Glass app for monitoring machine tools. The app couples Glass with the MTConnect standard for monitoring numerically controlled machine tools, freeing them from having to use laptops and smart devices. By embedding the user into an augmented reality, Glass can provide "a natural extension of MTConnect's view into machines," according to ITAMCO. "Manufacturing can seem a bit overwhelming at times, Google Glass brings a personal perspective of making things possible that seem impossible," says Joel D. Neidig, technology manager at ITAMCO. 

Ultimately, the merger of MTCOnnect and Glass could benefit those involved starting on the shop floor and extended to upper management. For instance, new machine operators could be trained directly on the shop floor by viewing training videos on YouTube. In addition, virtual instruction manuals can be accessed via Glass when installing or doing maintenance work on a piece of equipment. A company executive could walk the shop floor supplementing their view of production with relevant real-time data and financial information.

A statement from ITAMCO explains in more detail how the app works:

To date, more attention has been given to the actual manufacturing of Google Glass than to its implications for manufacturing. It seems, however, that the benefits of using the technology on the shop floor could ultimately be more substantial.

Brian Buntz is the editor-in-chief of MPMN and Qmed. Follow him on Twitter at @brian_buntz.