The Google Glass has taken its place as the next step in wearable technology after being launched to the public in May 2014, containing an extensive array of apps that have the potential to make a huge impact on an athlete’s performance.

Built to be used in conjunction with the user’s cell phone, the $1500 optical headset is worn like a pair of glasses. A small screen in the upper corner of the frame allows users to experience the vari- ety of functions that the device offers.

Besides the standard ability to surf the web and respond to text messages, the Google Glass contains unique apps such as Strava Run, GolfSight, and Swingbyte that help improve the user’s sports performance or simply keep track of different aspects of their game. Some athletes find these apps to be a useful supplement to their training, while others consider them to be a distraction.

Strava Run is an app that lets runners analyze their performance by tracking each run using a GPS. The program can help the user set personal goals as well as compare themselves to others.

Some believe that apps such as Strava Run would deter a runner’s growth.

“I think that people would be caught up with all these numbers that quite frankly would be meaningless if not used in the right way,” cross country runner Niki Iyer (10) said.

Strava Run has the ability to affect an athlete’s development in a positive way, especially for those competing in sports such as cross country and track. Runners would pinpoint their weaknesses and work on fixing them.

Besides apps for cross country and track, the Google Glass has apps that assist golfers by helping them perfect the finer points of their game.

Swingbyte is a program that is meant to correct a golfer’s swing technique, and it works in combination with a device that attaches to the handle of a golf club. Users get access to data such as their swing’s path and speed as well as their club’s angle.

GolfSight has remained another popular app that gives Google Glass us- ers course information, pin distance, and keeps track of scoring all using a GPS system.

Some believe that the Google Glass has both its benefits and its pitfalls.

“It’d be great to have data about performance that you can see right before your eyes, but if it takes your attention away from the game it can be dangerous,” Edward Sheu (11) said.

While these apps help athletes correct their technique and keep track of their personal statistics, the Google Glass is ultimately a device that must be worn similar to a pair of eyeglasses in order for the user to reap its benefits. Wearing an optical headset such as this while playing a sport could be cumbersome and difficult to adapt to for many athletes, making the Google Glass somewhat impractical.

“I don’t think it would be able to be used during a game because it’s really fragile, and if it were to break, that would be thousands of dollars,” basketball player Jordan Goheen (10) said.

Many, however, have decided to use the device in a different way. Teams are using the Google Glass to stream content for others instead of just themselves. Fans can now watch warm ups and practices from the players’ point of view on the scoreboard, adding a twist to their real-time experience.

The Indiana Pacers, one of the NBA’s top-ranked basketball teams, was one of the first to introduce the Google Glass broadcast, and use it during every home game.

The Google Glass has done its job by moving the world of wearable technology one step forward, but the device has some way to go before it can truly be practical enough to be the norm in everyday life.

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on August 29, 2014.