The humble audio guide may about to become a thing of the past, as Google has revealed this week it has selected GuidiGO, a provider of guided tours for mobile devices, for its Glass at Work program. The use of Google Glass in museums and visitor centres could herald a new dimension in bringing together artwork and artifacts with multi-dimensional storytelling.
The deal between Google and GuidiGo is the result of Google's Glass at Work initiative, which certifies companies that make Glass apps specifically for businesses.
Over the last 6 months GuidiGO has conducted several pilot programs with two museums in the U.S. working with curators, education and visitor departments to create the software.
Designed to be non-intrusive, GuidiGO for Glass offers a learning experience for
museum visitors, without interfering with the works of art. Images and videos automatically appear at the most appropriate times during the narrative audio, visual cues allow them to discover what is invisible to the naked eye, image recognition identifies the artwork and automatically launches the right content.
In addition to image recognition, GuidiGO for Glass provides indoor navigation and positioning, enabling visitors to enjoy a tour without worrying about where to go next.
GuidiGO will soon be available through MyGlass. This means museums and cultural sites will be
able to access the Glass technology and make it available to their visitors without any code.