When Google Glass launched in 2013, it quickly became the hot technology of the year, but only possible to access for a small, select few. In its short life as a Beta project, it created worldwide conversations about the future of wearable technology, attracting criticism and celebration.
My main use of Glass took place at the Nanjing 2014 olympic games, at which I was a mentor for the International Olympic Committee Young Reporters team, led by the IOC's Head of Media Operations, Anthony Edgar.
With the help of our recruits, we ran the most extensive sports test of Glass that's ever been conducted and here are the results! Other footage in the films was shot on a Samsung mobile phone.
basketball
With a dynamic sport like basketball, Glass was really put through its paces with rapid head movements and jumping testing its limits. Glass stayed on pretty well and gives a unique point of view of the athlete, with the help of PUERTO RICAN athletes Antonio Racat Troncos, Luis Gabriel and Gonzalez Parrilla.
TENNIS
What does it feel like to look up and see the ball rising on a serve? These are perspectives on tennis we have not see before and players Marcelo Zormann Silva and Luisa Veras Stefani reporting how Glass did not interfere with their game play.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
With the help of Team USA's Zano Muno, Skylar Caputo, and CZECH REPUBLIC's Katerina Valkova, One of the really difficult things to stablize is light variation and you can see how the Glass camera is constantly trying to adjust.
skating
In this video, the beauty of Glass footage is conveyed best in the inline skating, where the athlete becomes the film maker, creating a new role and a new way of seeing the sport with CHINA's Wang Guohoa (skateboard) and He Xin (inline). Putting Glass onto an athlete with wheels creates a beautiful smooth film.
FENCING
How does it feel to look through the fencer's mask at your opponent? German fencer Samuel Unterhauser and his coach Britta Heidemann give us this unique insight, it's amazing to see how limited a view one has through these and how claustrophic it feels.
CLIMBING
Conducting an interview while up a rock face is no similar task, but with the handsfree Glass option, it's a bit easier. See here what it's like to climb with the help of AUSTRIA's climbing elite Andi Aufschnaiter.
HANDBALL
Another fast-paced sport, this film gives an insight into what it feels like to be a player among the team, during those intimate moments like team scrums or walking out onto the pitch. here we have CHINA's women's team putting Glass through its paces, as the ball comes hurtling towards players.
EQUESTRIAN
Putting Glass on a horse is not really feasible, and even a rider is tricky, with the helmet making the frame of Glass difficult to position. However, this film shows just what it's like to approach a jump with the help of CHINA's Li Yaofeng, GREAT BRITAIN's Jake Saywell.
FOOTBALL
For the first time at an Olympic village, a football match was staged with some future stars of the Game. Here, players from HONDURAS, VANUATU, NAMIBIA, and PAPUA NEW GUINEA, show us how its done, with the help of ITALY's athlete role model Simone Farina.
In January 2015, Google Glass was officially withdrawn from sales, but Google reported that it would return as an industry product. Meanwhile, the rise of wearable technologies continues, with new forms of eyewear emerging pretty quickly. While Glass may have had a short life, it gave people a glimpse of the future and will most likely be remembered as a technology that was ahead of its time.
In sport, Glass functioned pretty well, especially as a feedback device and I'll leave you with one final piece shot at the IAAF World Juniors in Oregon, where I put glass on a number of athletes to get their reactions. It finishes with Olympic legend Carl Lewis looking up at the stars.