Could Google Glass change how construction sites are managed?

In the near future, supervisors at construction sites might perform their duties with help from a wearable computer, says an associate professor of construction science at Texas A&M University.

Associate Professor Julian Kang is developing research projects using the Google Glass to test its applications for construction and facility management. He envisions several potential applications, including:

* Creating a hand-free photo or video of a safety hazard on the jobsite, then uploading it to a central server with a description of the hazard.

* Scanning a barcode on a jobsite component and gaining instant access to detailed information.

* Patrolling a jobsite while reciting a punch list, converting the spoken words into a text file, and uploading the file to a central server, which could share the text with subcontractors.

Using wearable computers is something that has been talked about in the industry for almost a decade. “None of the devices that have been discussed are as practical as Google Glass,” Kang says, “which changes the way we communicate with computers and presents interesting possibilities in construction and facility management that I will investigate.”

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