On the 12th June 2014 the Directors of Paramodic Pty and myself met with Cultural Advisor and Tagnekald Elder, Bruce Hammond online via Google Hangouts to discuss the ramifications of Google Glass on Aboriginal communities occurring at that time without consultation.

We had word that a Google Glass Explorer from the United States of America had already met with a number of communities scoping projects utilising this emergent technology.

To counteract claims that no one was in the space and dutifully engaged in the socio-ethical interrogation of this technology, on the 24th June 2014 Mikaela Jade (Griffiths) flew out from Canberra to meet with Bruce Hammond, Director of Envirologix and Khaitja Thomas, Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement, South Australia Government.

The purpose of the trip was for the Paramodic Pty Ltd Directors and Advisors including myself to consult with Aboriginal community groups across the South Australian region including Vince Coulthard from Umeewarra Media in Port Augusta, South Australia. 

The meetings identified many different perspectives as to the usefulness of the technology including the development of a 'Welcome To Country' app which I observed as an avid endorsement of the product with claims of economic opportunities for Aboriginal communities surpassing the ‘negatives’. This trip also led to the establishment of the Indigenous Wearable Technology Assembly (IWTA) which was proposed to be held at the Wilpena Pound Resort in South Australia.

Photos: Alexander Hayes | Mikalea Griffiths (Jade) wearing the Google Glass device on 12th May 2014 at the University of Canberra, INSPIRE Centre, Canberra Australia