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FedEx will use smart glasses to help pilots land in emergencies
Smoke is understandably a serious danger for aircraft, and not just in life-threatening situations -- the FAA notes that there's typically one smoke-related landing per day. But how does the pilot land with a smoke-filled cockpit where they might not even see the instrument cluster, let alone the outside world? FedEx and the Osterhout Design Group have an idea. They're showing off SAVED (Smoke Assured Vision Enhanced Display -- yes, it's a forced acronym), a hybrid smart glasses and oxygen mask system that provides data from the aircraft's HUD and external cameras to help with emergency landings. Pilots won't have to fly blind or risk passing out just to avoid a disaster.
NASA wants astronauts to wear smart glasses
As you might imagine, astronauts typically need to stay laser-focused on their missions -- even a brief distraction could lead to a broken part or some other crisis. They won't have to worry about keeping their eyes (and hands) on the ball if NASA has its way. It's teaming up with Osterhout Design Group to explore the use of both augmented reality and virtual reality glasses for astronauts, whether they're in space or safely on terra firma. Among the possibilities are "assisted reality" glasses that identify equipment controls or provide checklists, saving crews the hassle of checking manuals when they're rushing to fix a crucial machine. There's no timetable for when NASA expects this smart apparel to show up, but here's hoping that it's ready relatively soon. [Image credit: NASA]
