Whether it’s time to create a “Superhuman” category here in The Load Out Room, or we chose to just pay close attention, technology like this can’t be ignored.
Thanks to a massive market of technology hungry, action sports, early adopters companies remain able to lean way forward and deliver “scifi-esque ” solutions at low costs. The Recon Jet Pilot glassess with heads up display and onboard mini computer is the latest example of another one of these feats; but this time with a twist that can change how specialized operators do business.
Croakies & Computers
It wasn’t that long ago when the only technology available for our shades were colorful neoprene straps. Perfect for holding Ray Bans around our necks and helping us spot off-duty cops at the mall. Useful, but not game changing.
Recon Jet has produced the latest version of Heads Up Display (H.U.D) glasses that are being marketed to the masses. The twist? These glasses will allow what’s called SDK (Software Development Kit) access which means that developers will be able to produce custom applications for a variety of uses; such as, UAV feeds, surveillance target pictures and the descriptions and locations of the bad guys we’re trying to follow.
The glasses standalone as a complete computing solution harnessing power similar to tablets and smartphones. I don’t know what all of these specs mean technically speaking; but operationally speaking these are some killer capabilities that, if understood, can significantly help us in the good fight.
Recon Jet glasses:
- 1 GHz dual core processor – This means they can do stuff
- Wi-Fi – This means we can connect to the internet as well as other devices
- ANT+ – Means device interoperability with other devices
- Bluetooth – Another way to connect with other devices
- GPS – Satellites!
- HD camera – Quality pictures
- 14grams to each side of the sunglasses – so you won’t end up running in circles
- optical touch-pad that supports multiple gesture controls and facilitates its use in all weather conditions, even with gloves on.
Facebook, Candy Crush & Overhead Satellite imagery
What’s obvious is that the glasses will allow us to see how fast we’re running, check our caller ID, and provide us with the long awaited freedom to finally run down the beach while checking the critical Candy Crush and Facebook updates of our unemployed friends.
What’s not so obvious is what developers will be able to do for those of us who are worried about more than just our heart rate.
The glasses are coming out of the box with apps designed for athletes, but as I mentioned earlier they will be allowing for SDK. This means a properly motivated developer may be able to do some very useful things.
With the ANT+ technology it shouldn’t be too hard to connect to other supporting devices allowing a developer to channel instant satellite feeds, team & target locations, overhead views of surveillance areas and just about anything else we haven’t even considered yet.
One thousand eyeballs
I’m not ready to say “go out and buy these things”, much more expensive than Croakies, but I will say that because of the speed at which technology evolves it’s important that we Keep an eye on things such as this.
If we can cut the size of a surveillance team in half by spending $600 bucks on some glasses than we must. Technology like this will allow us operate safer and much more efficiently as we’re kept “In the know” while we hang it on the line. They used to say: “two eyes are better than one”. Now it’s more like “1000 eyes are better than none”.
