Google Glass Used to Record New Jersey Boardwalk Arrest
A Documentary Filmmaker Captures Footage of a New Jersey Arrest with Glass
July 9, 2013— -- Computer programmer Henrik Nordberg used it while driving around Berkeley, California. Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg used it while dressing models before her New York runway show last fall.
Now, Chris Barrett adds yet another video showcasing Google Glass's recording capabilities: taping an arrest in progress.
Barrett, founder of the website PRServe.com and documentary filmmaker, was walking along the boardwalk in Wildwood, N.J., on July 4 while wearing Google's much hyped device.
"I was down to 20 percent battery after the fireworks show, so I thought I may as well hit record and let it go until it dies," he told ABC News.
After passing by a few souvenir stands, he encountered the end of a fight and two men being led away in handcuffs. While other boardwalk visitors whipped out their cell phones and cameras, Barrett slowly maneuvered his way through the crowd, recording the incident with Google's technology. The video of the arrest can be viewed here on his YouTube channel.
He was nearly anonymous while filming the action.
"It was definitely a tense situation," he said.
But hardly anyone noticed him filming. "Only two kids asked, 'Is that Google Glass?'" he told ABC News.
Barrett says his recording demonstrates the potential of Google Glass.
"It's not a memorable video. It's not going to go down in court history. Really, it's a case study to show how it will change citizen journalism," he said.
Google Glass: How the Wearable Gadget Works
The Google Glass video appears to be better than your typical video taken at night. It's also less shaky than a handheld camera since it moves smoothly with the user. "You're your own steady cam," said Barrett.
While the small screen is illuminated during recording, the device doesn't have a red light to indicate to non-users whether it's currently taking pictures or recording video.
However, Google says Glass was built with some other indicators. "We have built explicit signals in Glass to make others aware of what’s happening," the company states on its Glass FAQ page. " In each case the illuminated screen, voice command or gesture all make it clear to those around the device what the user is doing."
Still, many people have expressed great concern over Google Glass's privacy policies, including representatives of Congress who have asked Google to better explain its privacy policies.
"If Google Glass takes off, the world may be scary for some people, but with any new technology, people are nervous," Barrett said.
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