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Virgin Atlantic testing Google Glass at Heathrow airport to identify & assist passengers

Virgin-Atlantic-Glass

With Google Glass finally available to just about anyone willing to sign up and throw down the $1500 purchase price, we’re seeing more and more professionals take advantage of the handsfree, head-mounted computer to make daily tasks more efficient. The latest to trial Glass, according to a report from TheDailyMail, is Virgin Atlantic airlines in a test at London’s Heathrow airport. Staff of Virgin’s Upper Class lounge are apparently using Glass to identify passengers in order to greet them by name and pull up relevant trip information:

Virgin Atlantic’s concierge staff in the Upper Class lounge at London Heathrow have begun trialling a scheme in which hostesses recognise passengers using Google Glass. The technology will be able to identify a customer, see their flight details and preferences, before showing the hostess their flight information, and more… The technology then immediately begins checking that passenger in, and can update the hostess on travel information, weather and events at the customer’s destination…This personalised service can also store preferences for future trips.

If the six week trial Virgin Atlantic plans at Heathrow is successful it’s likely we’ll begin seeing Glass at more airports in the near future.

The news follows reports that other professionals are beginning to test Glass including the New York Police Department in a trial that will see officers on patrol wearing Glass as a crime fighting tool. Glass is being used by other professions too from a doctor during surgery to firefighters on the job.

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Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s weekly Logic Pros series and makes music as one half of Toronto-based Makamachine.