Google announces Meet video calling on Glass Enterprise Edition 2

Over the past few months, Google has aggressively pushed its latest video conferencing service to new platforms from Smart Displays to Chromecast. Google Meet is now available for Glass Enterprise Edition 2 in beta.

Google Meet for Glass is aimed at “making it easier for on-site workers to connect face-to-face with others who are working remotely.” The key advantage of Glass EE2 is being able to communicate, while keeping your “hands free to perform tasks.”

This capability was first tested in Google’s data centers and replaced people walking around with a “bulky webcam or laptop.” Glass wearers see an incoming video window (640 x 360) in the top-right corner of their vision. The wearable has an 8MP camera with 80-degree FOV to stream out and three beam-forming microphones, as well as a mono speaker and support for Bluetooth and USB audio.

Using Meet for Glass, Google’s data technicians can connect with each other to diagnose an issue, review equipment and even train new employees. They’re able to work independently and still easily collaborate with others across their facility, in other buildings or even with employees who are working from home. People dialed into Meet can see exactly what the data technician is doing and communicate clearly with them to provide real-time feedback. 

Besides data centers, Google says this “heads-up and hands-free solution” is useful for manufacturing, field service technicians, and even real estate agents:

For instance, manufacturers experiencing a surge in demand for essential products, such as personal protective equipment, medications, and cleaning supplies, can have on-site employees monitor and maintain factory equipment with help from specialists worldwide. Similarly, field service technicians can connect with remote experts to quickly repair devices that provide quality care to patients. And real-estate professionals can give a first-person virtual tour or perform remote inspections for prospective tenants and homebuyers.

Enterprise Edition 2 was announced last May for $999 and coincided with Glass moving from X to the Google AR & VR division. It failed in the consumer marketplace, but has found some success as an enterprise tool.

Google Workspace customers can apply to the Meet for Glass beta today.