Google Glass sure has its fair share of dumb applications, but some projects mercifully seem to balance them out. Like the apps put together by Patrick Jackson, a firefighter who’s writing code to help rescue teams save time — and lives.
So far, he’s built apps that route incoming emergency calls to Glass — providing details of where the incident is, along with maps, notes from the 911 call centre and the like — as well as a “find hydrant” app which, well, speaks for itself. There are others in the pipeline too, which he’s working on right now: one to provide building floor plans to firefighters so they understand where they’re going before they set foot inside a property, and another to provide detailed schematics of vehicles so its easier to get people out of them after accidents. They’re works-in-progress, sure — but it’s an interesting glimpse into how wearable technology could help transform an industry which tends to rely on evolution, rather than revolution, to change its working practices. [Google]