Google Glass Could Help Air Force Medics Treat Wounded In Battlefield

The Air Force is currently evaluating the effectiveness of Google Glass in battlefield informatics that could allow medics to treat the wounded, WSJ reports. A research group at Ohio’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has created several software prototypes and believes Google Glass could serve as a lighter alternative to bulkier, more expensive head-mounted models currently utilized by Air Force personnel.

Google Glass for Air Force Medics

Researchers have built an Android based mobile health app that feeds health data to Google Glass wearing medics to review a wounded soldier’s vital signs. This allows medics to work hands free to treat the wounded receiving vital sign information such as heart rhythm, respiration and blood oxygen level information from wireless vital monitors war fighters wear on their chests. “We distill the data [on the smartphone] and push that out to Glass, which is connected to the mobile device,” said Mr. Burnett, the chief engineer of the group.  With traditional head-mounted displays costing anywhere from $5k or more, Google Glass’s $1,500 price tag is a viable economic option for the defense industry...