Google Glass 'Glass Feed' trial

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Industrial designer Scott Mayson worked with the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) and Melbourne innovation company Small World on a therapeutic application for experimental Google Glasses (a computer embedded in glasses with an optical head-mounted display). Five pairs of Google Glasses were given to new mothers for the six-week trial. Fifteen breastfeeding counsellors also took part. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: Mothers received intial breastfeeding training via the Google Glass gadget. If women needed more help, they made a video call to an ABA lactation consultant. The glasses live streamed the feed, allowing the consultant to provide real-time, remote advice to the mother on attachment of the baby, mastitis and other issues. The gadget allowed consultants to provide expert advice during a feed to a mother and baby at home, rather than in hospital. Mayson designed a magnetic snap-clip attachment for the Google Glass. His 'Glass Feed' reflector mirror allowed mothers to adjust the angle of view by tilting a magnetic axis. This realtime adjustment optimises the video stream and allowed the consultant to see both mother and baby during a feed. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: The Glass Feed device was the first device of its kind in the world and it received extensive national and international coverage including: Zoe Corbyn 'Google Glass - Wearable tech but would you wear it?' The Guardian,6 April 2014; Lucy Battersby and Julie Medew, 'Breastfeeding mothers get help from google glass and small world' The Age, 19 Jan 2014; DJ Pangburn, 'Turns Out Google Glass Is Good for Breastfeeding', 'Vice" Motherboard, 21 April 204; Bern Morely, 'Virtual breastfeeding': Could it ever work?' MammaMia, 25 April 2014; and Penny Johnston, 'Breastfeeding help gets hi-tech', 17 April 2014, 774 ABC Radio. The project was also exhibited in 'The Future is Here' Exhibition London Design Museum & RMIT, 28 Aug-11 Oct 2104).