Wearable Technology and Google Glass: Why It Matters

By Marta Rauch | Associate Fellow

“Going mobile” now means more than carrying a smartphone. An increasing number of mobile devices can be worn hands-free as you go about your daily life. This category of computing is called wearable technology, and it includes devices such as Google Glass. Given the benefits and wide adoption of smartphones in recent years, and the advantages of hands-free computing, it’s no surprise that the demand for wearable technology is increasing.

Rapid developments in wearable technology bring opportunities for technical communicators who create content and user assistance for devices such as Google Glass. This article describes wearable technology, including Google Glass, provides examples, and suggests strategies for effective user assistance.

What Is Wearable Technology

Wearable technology, often called “wearables,” includes various small computing devices that can be worn on the body. Examples include smart watches, wrist bands, sensors embedded in shoes and clothing, rings, contact lenses, and smart glasses like Google Glass. Like smartphones and tablets, wearables are available wherever and whenever users need them. A key benefit of wearable technology is that it keeps users’ hands free as they go through their daily lives.

The Market Is Exploding

The market for wearable tech is growing rapidly. Market research from Deloitte predicts that wearables “should sell about 10 million units in 2014, generating $3 billion,” with smart glasses capturing the most revenue. Business Insider foresees global wearable device shipments “reaching 300 million units five years from now … a $12 billion market by 2018.”

In response to the rising demand for wearables, developer interest is increasing. Strategy Analytics notes that 27% of over 1,700 developers they surveyed plan to create apps for wearables in 2014.

Google Glass

Google Glass is a popular example of wearable technology. A heads-up display (HUD), it was introduced in 2013 to selected developers and early adopters through an Explorers beta program. A public release is expected in 2014.

Users wear Glass like a pair of glasses, and they interact with it through voice controls, a touchpad, and Google Glass applications. Glass uses WiFi to receive data, and it connects to a smartphone to access services such as GPS and SMS. Glass also includes built in sensors such as a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

Interest in Glass is building as apps are developed and Explorers demonstrate new use cases. After Glass is released to the public, market researchers predict that demand for the device will surge. For example, BI Intelligence expects “unit sales of Glass to climb sharply in the years after its official launch, to 21 million units in annual sales by year-end 2018 to a $10.5 billion annual market opportunity .” Technical communicators who stay ahead of this trend can benefit from new opportunities.

Glass User Experience

What is it like to wear Glass? Users interact with the device by speaking commands or using the touchpad on the arm of the Glass frame. Other interfaces, such as winking, are also being implemented.

To invoke an action or app, users say “ok glass,” and then speak a command, such as “Take a picture” or “Record a video.” After users take the initial action, additional options are available, for example, to view or share the picture or video.

Glass provides a set of standard commands, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. A set of standard Glass commands.

After users install Glass apps, additional commands are added. For example, after you install the Word Lens app, a Translate command is shown.

Glass User Interface

The Glass interface uses a “card” metaphor to convey small frames of information using minimal text and simplified graphics. A black background creates contrast in brightly lit environments, such as outdoors. Sample Glass settings are displayed in Figure 2.

Glassware Apps

A growing number of Glass apps, called “Glassware,” are being developed. Glassware is available for applications such as news, social networks, productivity, finance, augmented reality, fitness, and games, as shown in the following examples.

Example 1: Some of the Glassware installed on the author’s Glass.

rauch_ex1

Example 2: Word Lens lets you translate content viewed with Glass into other languages.

rauch_ex2

Example 3: ColorSnap lets you use Glass to take a photo and create a paint color based on that photo. You can then order paint in that color for pickup at a nearby Sherwin-Williams store.

rauch_ex3

Example 4: GlassFit combines augmented reality and gamification to provide powerfully motivating training programs on Glass.

rauch_ex4

Other useful Glassware allows users to capture content with Evernote, create WordPress blogs, and post to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. As additional apps are developed, Glass use cases will continue to expand.

Enterprise Use Cases

Enterprises are looking at ways to bring the benefits of wearable technology such as smart watches and heads-up displays like Google Glass to customers.

Note: The statements and opinions expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Oracle Corporation. The emerging technologies described in this article are not in the current product. Rather, they represent areas of innovation that applications development is exploring.

Will You Be Wearing Your Enterprise Data?

The Oracle Applications User Experience (UX) team has developed user experience heuristics for wearables in the enterprise.

A post on the Oracle Applications UX group’s Usable Apps blog asks, “Will You Be Wearing Your Enterprise Data?” (see Figure 3). Jeremy Ashley, vice president of Oracle Applications User Experience, states, “What we are doing is taking the application of computing power, and moving away from it being a single device. We are moving to multiple devices that sense the world around you. It’s really a matter of what these devices can provide for you.”

Simple, Mobile, Extensible

Design concepts shown in a Usable Apps blog exemplify “simplicity, mobility, and the extensibility of applications, all built with Oracle technology, with the latest device trends and integrations in the cloud.”

Wearable Tech Design Jams

The Oracle Applications User Experience group conducts design jams for wearable technology. At these events, user experience teams and invited thought leaders gather to generate new approaches for addressing enterprise customer needs.

During the event, teams engage and collaborate to design usable interfaces for wearable tech. Later, ideas are shown to stakeholders to gather feedback and iterate designs.

Key Points for Technical Communicators

To provide successful user assistance for wearable technology such as Google Glass, ensure that content meets these qualifications.

Useful. Help users accomplish a task that simplifies their lives and makes them feel amazing.
Timely. Display information at the right time and place. Make users “in the know and in the now.“
Unobtrusive. Avoid distracting users from their tasks, and interrupt only when necessary. “Request wearers’ attention; don’t demand it.”
Relevant. Provide overviews relevant to the current task. Allow users to drill down to contextual details as necessary.
Concise. Trim content to what is necessary at that moment—what users need, when they need it.
Straightforward. Tone should be casual and friendly, yet appropriate for business situations. Use a conversational style for voice commands.
Visual. Incorporate simple and consistent icons and graphics, such as on info cards and drill downs. Provide videos where it makes sense.
Adaptable. Use responsive design to ensure that the content displays well on a variety of screen sizes, shapes, and resolutions.
Accessible. If your product is required to be accessible, ensure that content conforms to corporate accessibility guidelines.

Conclusion

Wearables and heads-up displays like Google Glass are enjoying phenomenal market growth. This brings exciting opportunities to technical communicators who can provide content that enhances the experience of hands-free mobile computing.

To take advantage of the booming market for wearable technology, savvy technical communicators will look for opportunities to develop usable content for devices such as Glass and other wearable technology.

Marta Rauch is an STC Associate Fellow and information developer and ID lead at Oracle, where she works on mobile and cloud projects and participates in initiatives for wearables and Google Glass. A Google Glass Explorer since 2013, Marta has given many presentations on Google Glass. With 20 years of experience in technical communication, Marta is STC Silicon Valley Chapter vice president and program manager. She has received 15 STC awards for individual and team projects at the regional and international level. Her articles have appeared in publications such as Intercom, IEEE, HCII, and the Center for Information Development Management Best Practices. Marta holds a certificate in technical communication from University of California Extension, a teaching credential, and a BA from Stanford University.