Google Glass News: To Be Developed For Use In Law Enforcement

Taser International, the company that brought stun guns to their current popularity among security personnel, is experimenting with using Google Glass as a new tool for law enforcement, according to a report on TheNextWeb. Taser International has been accepted into the Glass Explorer program, allowing the company early access to the hands-free headset.

The company already has a similar device in the AXON Flex, a headset that is capable of recording video for evidence and stored in a third-party cloud service. However, Google Glass might provide an upgrade in the technology due to Google's resources and motion-capture capabilities. For example, Glass may be used to capture license plate numbers or scan for wanted criminals or missing persons using the facial recognition technology available on the device. Police officers would be able to activate these features with a simple voice command, allowing them to stay focused on their duties.

In addition, Taser is working on developing technology that would allow an officer to gather police records in real time, with the ability to gather statements via the Glass camera and the headset's voice-to-text abilities. Taser has also stated that they are also developing technology that would allow an officer to redact parts of videos recorded with these headset devices, so that the public would be able to view them.

However, the idea of police officials using Google Glass is still in development, and Glass would need several improvements before it would become practical for on-the-ground police work. The battery would have to be able to last through an entire shift, and the camera would have to be able to capture high-quality video during the night.

While this technology may be a few years away, it appears that this idea is already catching on with some sections of law enforcement. Time will tell if we start seeing police-branded Google Glass devices soon, or if this is a pipe dream.