Smart Glasses: game changing assistive technology or just more wearable tech for gadget lovers? - Accessibility, assistive technology and inclusive practice

Are Smart glasses digital innovation that will support inclusion and enhance the student experience? The term smart glasses as used here is a generic term to describe a range of wearable technology products. This includes assistive models such as those specifically for blind and low-vision users, as well as more commercially orientated glasses.

Some of the benefits that smart glasses bring are explored in our related Blog posts:

Smart glasses are not new technology and perhaps what is changing is that they are becoming in various forms more affordable.

The market is shifting.
The investment particularly by Meta is significant.
They bring together a lot of technology and come with a range of functionality.
Many people see the potential benefits they bring to education both generally and as an assistive technology.
They can extend the capabilities of a smart phone in a hands-free device and change how someone interacts with the environment and people around them.

There is some unease. And we will look at a few areas that have prompted questions in terms of privacy, security/surveillance and intellectual property.

The use of recorded/streamed video images (some glasses have cameras which are not immediately recognisable as cameras to those being recorded).
Some glasses use microphones capable of making recordings where it is not obvious that a recording is taking place.
Generative AI assistants may provide inaccurate/hallucinated information to students
Some glasses raise concerns because they have integrated AI tools:
- capable of storing, manipulating and re-using recorded/streamed images that students may use inappropriately
- capable of recording/copying/re-using education limited licensed materials.

AI training concerns

Other points raised included fears that glasses providers would use content recorded with the glasses to train their AI models. This could include copyrighted material and sensitive/personal data.

The Jisc Blog AI and Data Security – Let’s Worry About the Right Things addresses these concerns. The headline recommendation is that you should never put personal or private data into any IT system for which you don’t have a robust contract in place, and this includes tools incorporating AI. So once again it is essential to review all systems equally in terms of potential sources of AI training, and review and check all contracts, not just ‘AI tools’.

Risk and Compliance

Image abuse

Let’s just look at possibly one of the more difficult case scenarios.

Covert recording by the concealed camera of smart glasses brought into the institution by an individual for personal use. This is then shared/streamed online out of context either to monetise risky online content or to promote hate towards individuals or groups of individuals.

This behaviour is not exclusive to education. However, the possibility of abuse in this way could frustrate attempts to integrate such wearable technology in the teaching and learning environment.

Good practice response for an institution

Institutions already have vast experience of handling unacceptable and inappropriate behaviour of this kind.

A visible and implemented Acceptable Use Policy is key in terms of regulating inappropriate use and behaviour that falls short of illegal activity. It clarifies the boundaries for all users and sets standards that help mitigate risks both for the institution and users.

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

Ensure that wearable technology is included in the guidance for students and staff in terms of acceptable use.
Check the institution’s AUP to ensure that it provides clarity on the behaviours expected and required of all users and that any breach of the policy may result in disciplinary action being taken.
Review the guidance to ensure that it includes equipment and information (all information systems, hardware, software and channels of communication, including voice- telephony, social media, video, email, instant messaging, internet and intranet).

Privacy – data protection

Another concern that arises is the issue of personal data being captured and shared without an individual’s consent.

Many wearable devices including smart glasses are capable of collecting, storing and processing personal data.

Again, this is not in itself new. Rather it is the nature of the possible covert or unwanted capture and processing of private information that concealed recording devices present that needs consideration.

This risk can be probably best managed as part of the acceptable use procedures outlined above for image abuse. Taking a pragmatic approach to privacy concerns can prevent closing off the potential benefits to inclusion.

The institution as data controller

Where personal data is collected by smart glasses that are owned or used on behalf of the institution then the data protection safeguards that UK data protection legislation provide will apply.

Everyone responsible for using personal data has to follow strict rules called ‘data protection principles’.

Again, this is an area of practice that many institutions have vast experience of dealing with and it is a matter of making sure that there is an awareness of the processing that is taking place and who has responsibility for compliance.

Good practice for an institution

Ensure that there is clear responsibility for identifying and checking the details of the processing of personal data that is taking place for all smart glasses that are owned or used on behalf of the institution.

Users should be assured that their collected personal data is processed fairly, lawfully and transparently.

Please refer to our Smart Glasses in Education Blog – which has reviewed a number of smart glasses providers in terms of “Data privacy and AI training”. The indications from that work are that provider’s policies differ greatly so checking individual policies is essential.

Ensure that data protection notices for users are updated to include any processing by smart glasses that are owned or used on behalf of the institution.

Security/surveillance – safety online and offline

Those responsible for security of IT systems at the institution will require that devices that are owned or used on behalf of the institution do not present risks. Involving IT security teams at an early stage is good practice where smart glasses are planned to be used in teaching and learning.

For personal-use smart glasses at an institution matters of security and surveillance will fall to be dealt with in terms of the acceptable use procedures already outlined.

Digital Safety

In terms of safety online and offline some wearable devices will present unique challenges for those at an institution who have responsibility for digital safety and the safety of individuals. Integrating and promoting awareness of the particular incidents that wearable devices bring about must now be good practice.

Knowing how to protect information, spot threats, navigate and avoid risky behaviour are all required essential skills for those attending tertiary education.

Intellectual property

Students have access to special educational licensed materials that have restrictions on access and re-use.

Wearable devices that are capable of recording and re-using such materials will trigger concerns for those at the institution that are responsible for learning and library resources as well as for the bodies that act on behalf of rights holders.

As with digital safety promoting awareness of the responsibilities that come with this access to licensed materials is an ongoing obligation for the institution. It is now necessary to add smart glasses to the topics that need to be explained as part of this awareness raising.

Recording lectures/ Lesson capture

Although there is no obligation to do so other than for those learners that require reasonable adjustments in terms of disabilities some institutions allow learners to make recordings of teaching sessions for study purposes. This is subject to appropriate further use of the recordings and respecting the intellectual property rights of the right holder.

Wearable devices that are capable of recording and re-using such materials create an additional layer of complexity.

how the re-use of recordings made by individuals can be regulated.
concerns regarding integrated AI tools that may collect and store such materials for AI training.

In terms of the first point an example of guidance on student responsibilities when making recordings of lectures for personal use is contained in the guidance from the University of Glasgow.

In terms of the unauthorised collection and re-use of education licensed materials by AI tools, there is an onus on the institution to ensure that these licence terms are complied with. As such, as well as awareness raising for individual users where AI tools are being used, it is necessary for the institution to understand what the AI tools are doing with collected and recorded information.

This may not be straightforward. Some valuable research on clauses in the terms and conditions of AI tools that allow training by AI models is available in the Jisc Blog Smart Glasses in Education.

It is clear from this work that opting out of the collection and processing of audio, video and photos is not simple to do for some consumer targeted smart glasses products.

This then is an area that needs further investigation and involves checking in detail the particular smart glasses products terms and conditions.

If the integrated AI tools allow training and no permission is in place for education licensed materials to be collected and recorded and re-used in this way, then the risk arises for the institution that there may be a breach of the licence. The onus remains on the institution to ensure that these licence terms are complied with.

Continuous awareness raising along with a visible and implemented acceptable use policy will go some way to ensuring that innovative wearable technologies such as smart glasses can be adopted.

This can ensure benefits to education generally and assistive technology in particular.

Conclusion

While existing legislation will continue to play a role in protecting individuals it is clear that a wider conversation about responsible use of wearable technologies is taking place.

For many institutions existing policies and safeguards have been designed to be robust and flexible enough to embrace changes in technology and user practice. Whether or not they are future proofed and durable enough to withstand the challenges that AI-enabled glasses are likely to have on academic environments remains to be seen.

With the appropriate precautions and safeguards in place smart glasses that deliver clear assistive technology benefits should not be excluded (from education) solely on the basis that their functionality is enhanced by generative AI innovation.

What do you think?

Do privacy and security concerns present barriers to you and your institution making use of smart glasses in teaching and learning?
Will smart glasses be received in education as game changing assistive technology or remain just another wearable technology for gadget lovers?

Join the conversation in the Assistive technology network and find out how others are approaching these issues. Its free and open to FE and HE staff with an interest in assistive technology, at any level of experience – from beginner to expert.

References

Sources used in the compilation of this information include:

21/04/2026