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Use of Smart Glasses in Education-A Study

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DOI: 10.1109/I-SMAC.2018.8653666

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 Proceedings of the Second International conference on I-SMAC (IoT in Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud) (I-SMAC 2018)
IEEE Xplore Part Number:CFP18OZV-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1442-6

Use of Smart Glasses in Education-A Study

Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar†, P. Ranjith Krishna†, Pavan Kumar Pagadala§,*, N. M. Saravana Kumar*
† Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Bharat Institute of Engineering and Technology, Mangalpally, Ibrahimpatnam,
Ranga Reddy-501 510, Telangana, India.
§ Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Anna University, Guindy, Chennai-600 025, Tamil Nadu, India.

* Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Vivekanadha College of Engineering for Women, Namakkal, Tiruchengode-637 205,

Tamil Nadu, India.

E-mail: nallapanenichow@gmail.com, ranjit1987@gmail.com, pavankumarpagadala@gmail.com, saravanakumar2008@gmail.com

Abstract—Smart glasses proven to be one of the modern
computing devices that unite the humans and machines with the
help of information and communication technology (ICT). In
recent years, it is seen that smart glasses have been used in the
medical and gaming applications. However, the features of
smart glasses can contribute its services in other fields too. In
this paper, a study is carried out to explore the possible
application of smart glasses in the education sector. In the
investigation, most features of smart glass were found to be in
favours with the requirements of teaching and learning process
adopted in the education sector. Typical applications of
wearable smart glass in education include the augmented
reality, documentation of lecture, on-site report preparation,
recording lectures as videos, capturing essential points as
images, telementoring, trainee’s evaluation, understanding the
listener's experience and nature, student concentration
evaluation etc. Besides, these the possible benefits of adopting
and challenges in implementing are also explored. The outcome
of this study suggests that the implementation of smart glasses
in the education sector will enhance the concept of ICT
education.
Keywords—Smart glass, eyewear devices, HMD’s, head-
mounted displays, OHMD’s, wearable technology, smart glass in
education, application of smart glass in education, digital
education, google glass.
I. INTRODUCTION
In earlier days, the process of teaching and learning is
constrained to certain limitations. Now the learning has been
transformed into a new Age with the help of digitalisation.
Latest happenings in ICT has reformed the education sector
to adapt to the digital learning environment [1].
Use of ICT in the education sector will enhance the
teaching and learning process in all aspects. This will also
help in smooth functioning of the administrative activities
[2]. Researchers have conducted various studies to
understand the roles of digital technologies. Various digital
tools include computers, projectors, biometric systems,
Virtual classrooms and labs, digital data maintenance
systems, e-learning, tablets etc. [3].
C. Delgado Kloos et al. presented a study on the
educational technology and its roles in reducing the gap
between learner and listener and suggested an open learning
system where this technology will help the students as well
as a teacher in sharing the lecture notes and instruction
materials anywhere any time [4]. H. Beatriz Ramírez Moreno
et al. presented a study on the use of mobile apps for
teaching and learning process especially for the school
children [5]. The study shows how the digital technologies
including the mobile and information techniques emerged
into the education field [5]. A study by R. A. McKinney
suggests the use of digital technologies for overcoming the
grammar deficits of the students in engineering education
[6]. Many studies have been carried out in identifying the
roles of digital technologies in education. In recent years, a
new technology called smart technology has evolved into the
market. The innovative product smart glass seems to have
potential applications in many sectors, and the same may be
applicable to improving the learning experience in education
too.
A. The objective of the Study
This paper explores the use of the wearable technology
especially eye worn smart glasses in the education system.
Based on the features of smart glass, applications were
explored. Apart from this, the possible benefits and
challenges were also explored.
II. SMART GLASS AND AUGMENTED REALITY FEATURES
Smart glass is one of the intelligent and innovative
computing device developed in recent years. Smart glasses
convert the transparency nature of the hard glass into the
translucent nature [7-10]. It is embedded with several
components that include liquid crystal devices,
electrochromic, suspended particles, optical head-mounted
displays, thermochromic, multiple sensors, photochromic,
and processing capability handlers [7-10]. It became more
popular with the widespread applications in the medical field
as well as the gaming sector etc. [10]. It is one of the
wearable devices that typically worn by the human. As
Person wears it close to the eye, it is called as an eye-worn
wearable device.
Augmented reality
spatial devices used in
education services
Projectors Holograms
Fig. 1. Spatial devices used in the education sector.
Apart from this, we have a few wearable devices that
look and work in like smart glasses. These include head-
worn devices head mounted displays (HMD’s), optical head-
mounted displays (OHMD’s), and optical see-through head-
mounted displays (OSTHMD’s) [11], Smartphones, Tablets,
Smart Watches, Spatial devices like Projectors and
Holograms [10, 12-14].
These wearable devices are capable of handling
computing tasks that an ordinary person cannot do with the
naked eye, with the advancement seen in the electronic
technology, communication technology, and internet
technologies. In every smart glass, information exchange is

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 Proceedings of the Second International conference on I-SMAC (IoT in Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud) (I-SMAC 2018)
IEEE Xplore Part Number:CFP18OZV-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1442-6

possible through the connected network either Wi-Fi or TABLE I. COMPONENTS PRESENT IN A TYPICAL SMART GLASS
wired connection. Optics in smart glass Comment
In Fig.1. And Fig.2. Various types of wearable devices Using photometric emulsion, virtual
Hologram objects were shown in the real world with
are shown. In all these wearable devices the information is
the help of light.
visualised with the help of optics. This merely suggests, the Smart glasses can be capable of
use of optics is significant for experiencing the augmented Optical displaying the virtual images or any
reality features. The type of optics used will vary as per the information in the real world.
wearable device. For example, the head-worn wearable With the help of digital projectors, the
devices like head mounted displays (HMD’s), optical head- Projection virtual objects can be projected on to a
while screen or open area.
mounted displays (OHMD’s), and optical see-through head- A low power based laser light is used to
mounted displays (OSTHMD’s) uses the retinal, optical, and Retinal project the image directly on to the
video type optics [12-14]. wearer's eye.
The virtual information is merged along
Video with the real information and can be seen
Wearable in single line.
devices used in
educational III. USE OF SMART GLASSES IN EDUCATION
services Typical uses of wearable smart glass in education were
explored in this section.

A. Augmented and Virtual Reality

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are the
Hand-Worn Devices two other supporting features of smart glass that helps the
Head-Worn Devices Eye-Worn Devices educators to learn and teach the subject with real-world
Smart Phones, interaction and experience.
HMD’s, OHMD’s, Smart Glasses Tablets, Smart
OSTHMD’s Watches With the AR feature, smart glass wearers
(student/teacher) can see the real world matters with a
possibility of superimposing. On the other side, VR enables
the student or teacher to experience and interact with a
Fig. 2. Suitable wearable devices for the education sector. computer-generated environment. With VR technology, the
teacher and students can virtually participate and ponder.
The eye-worn wearable device, i.e. smart glass also uses
the retinal, optical, and video type optics. Whereas the hand- B. Documenting the Lecture
worn wearable devices like smartphones, tablets, smart
watches use the video and optical type optics. Augmented Smart glasses help in preparing the documentation
reality spatial type wearable devices use the projector and related to the class/course or subject lecture. Suppose, the
hologram type optics. In Fig.3. Various possible optic teacher in a classroom has taught a concept, that lecture can
features were represented, and in TABLE I, each optic be recorded in the form of video, a text document with the
feature is described [12]. help of voice-enabled features (voice to text conversion). The
learner has the great choice of selecting and recording the
topics/sections in a lecture, in spite of going through the
whole lecture every time.
Video
C. On-site report Preparation
The smart glass also seems to play a vital role in the on-
site education tour or research activities especially in the
fields of industrial engineering, essential historical studies,
architecture and construction.
Hologram Optical
If an academician or research scholar has given an
Optics of
wearable
investigative task related to inspection and report preparation
device on historic sites, then these smart glasses help in recording
the possible on-site information in the form of some working
papers including the original figures. For this, optics enabled
(camera, vision) features, voice features, text writing, voice
to text conversion etc. will be useful.

Projection Retinal D. Video and Image Capturing

Fig. 3. Augmented reality optical features of smart glass in visualising the
information.
In teaching and learning process, the concentration level
of the listener will be constant and may vary from one
individual to other. In some particular situation, there should
be a need for maintaining the proof of lecture. In such cases,
smart glasses help in preserving the lecture in the form of
video and images.

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 Proceedings of the Second International conference on I-SMAC (IoT in Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud) (I-SMAC 2018)
IEEE Xplore Part Number:CFP18OZV-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1442-6
With the optic features of smart glasses like video,
retinal, optical, projections, and hologram the process of
video and image capturing will happen easier.
E. Telementoring
Telementoring allows the connectivity between the tutor
and learner using some online platforms, where both the
parties must be virtually available on time. Here, both the
parties are logged in with username and password. This
process of online mentoring is possible with the support of
telecommunication, computer networks, and the internet.
Smart glasses found to be one of such technologies that
provide potential contributions in the case of telementoring.
Users can feel the real-world experience in telementoring
process as these smart glasses allow the virtual and
augmented features.
F. Trainee’s Evaluation
Trainee’s evaluation is also possible with the help of a
smart glass. How the performance of participants in the
teaching and learning process can be readily assessed and
evaluated.
G. Listeners Experience Tracking
In a classroom, the listeners are mostly students whose
behaviour, concentration, listening experiencing would vary
depending on the lecture topic, time, way of teaching
adopted by the tutor, lack of continuity in the matter.
Above all situations are possible but tracking them is
quite difficult in a classroom with a large number of students.
With the help of smart glasses, the person-in-charge can
understand and respond to the listeners based on the
situations. Few such instances were highlighted below:
• The tutor can vary the level of teaching either from
low pitch to high pitch as per the physical condition
of the students.
• Can understand the concentration levels of the
students using a sensor network.
• Identify students, who are feeling difficult to
understand, for those students the tutor can give
additional examples on that instant with the smart
glass support.
• Topic continuity as well student attendance in the
lecture can be easily tracked, and corresponding
support can be provided.
H. Real-time Teaching
Real-time teaching is possible with the help of smart
glass augmented reality and virtual reality concepts. These
two features will enable the teaching process to be more
exciting and realistic.
IV. BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES TO EDUCATION SECTOR
As discussed in section-III, with the use of smart glasses
in the education sector, will benefit in many ways. Few of
the benefits were explored and listed below in sub-section-A.
Similarly, various challenges faced by the education sector in
implementing the smart glass services were identified and
listed below in sub-section-B.
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A. Benefits of Smart Glass in Education
• Helps in improving the tutor and listener
communication during the lecture [15].
• Immediate capture of information is possible. For
example, the student or teacher or researcher can be
able to capture the image or video of some useful
information and store it for future reference.
• Instructor can understand and act as per the student’s
behaviour. This helps in changing teaching style and
methodology on that instant.
• Improves the outcome based educational experiences.
• Enables the real-time learning with the augmented
reality concepts of smart glass.
• Reduces the time and efforts taken for referring the
books and journal in physical search methods.
• The voice-enabled the feature of smart glass will help
in searching required information on a quick basis.
• Teaching and learning analytics can be performed
very easily with the help of stored data.
• Two-way communication becomes more active with
the help of smart glasses in education.
• Helps in promoting the active group learning.
• Student performance and tutor feedback can be
accessed easily.
• The record for maintenance of conducted lectures and
how many students are active in the lecture time can
be identified. This will give the scope for determining
the students who require extra efforts/support in the
learning process.
• Listener or student can give direct feedback about the
lecture immediately. This will reflect on improving
the lecture from day to day basis.
• Eliminates the feeling of shyness in students when the
situation of question/quiz sessions arises in the class
lecture [15].
• The teacher can adapt to the different teaching
methodology/techniques as per the student
understanding of the subject knowledge. [15].
• Choice of indication by the students whether they are
familiar with the concept or not is possible [15].
B. Challenges in Adopting Smart Glasses
• Practical implementation of smart glass services
would be difficult as they involve the complex
network.
• Issues in audio and video collaborations between the
teacher and student network.
• The requirement of uninterrupted and stable wi-fi or
wired internet connectivity.
• Device integration to the network of many devices.
• The economics behind the service implementations.
• Usability issues due to lack of operating skills.
58
 Proceedings of the Second International conference on I-SMAC (IoT in Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud) (I-SMAC 2018)
IEEE Xplore Part Number:CFP18OZV-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1442-6
• Issues with low-quality devices. For example, low-
resolution cameras cannot capture the quality image
or videos.
• Regulations and reforms can be against as these
devices may be misused by the students or/and
teachers.
• Lack of funds and sufficient training skills in the
large-scale deployment of smart glasses in the
education sector.
• Public awareness and social acceptance of smart
glasses for education scenarios.
• Fewer developments are seen in the augmented,
virtual, and mixed realities.
• The addiction may lead to the negative aspects.
V. CONCLUSION
In this paper, a study on the applying smart glasses in the
education sector is explored. From this study, it seems that
the eyewear devices, i.e. smart glass have solid abilities that
help in improving the education sector to transform to a
digital learning environment completely. However, it is also
seen that few challenges occur from the education sector as
well as with the smart glass. Hence, improvements in the
smart glass design as per education sector requirements will
allow a wide range of services. Apart from this regulation
reforms and support should be given to the education sector
for implementing such technologies. Further research can be
done by evaluating how effectively these smart glasses
would contribute to each service by conducting experimental
studies.
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978-1-5386-1442-6/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE
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