William Richman, Tarek Mahfouz, James W. Jones 
(Department of Technology, Ball State University, USA)

 

Abstract: Nowadays technologies are evolving at a rapid pace, which affect human lives in all aspects. One of these advancements is Wearable Computers with Optical Head Mounted Displays (OHMD). Multiple companies have issues beta versions of this technology and will soon introduce fully operational ones into the market. Similar to any new technology, there has been speculations about the pros and cons of their use. This included health, social, and psychological aspects. However, no research has addressed the expected effects on a university campus. Consequently, this paper investigates the students, faculty, and administration perception at a Large Midwestern University in regards to four research question, namely (1) What changes could occur socially and academically for students and faculty; (2) What is the usability of OHMD for social networking and education; (3) What are the affordability level of such new technology; and (4) What are the security and privacy issues associated with such technology. The adopted research methodology utilizes a campus wide electronic survey instrument. The outcomes of the current research task provide insight that is much needed for university faculty and administrators as well as technology developers.

 

Key words: Wearable Computers with Optical Head Mounted Displays, OHMD, smart glasses, educational technologies