NYC Considers Google Glass For Restaurant Inspections

New submitter TchrBabe writes: "NYC is now considering equipping its Health Department inspectors with Google Glass to provide a record of restaurant inspections. 'A yearlong pilot program would require 10 percent of the 160 health inspectors to wear video devices — including, possibly, the much-maligned Google goggles — under legislation to be proposed Thursday. "I think it would limit the abuses on both sides of the table, and it would allow for a more objective view by the judge on the violations that have been cited," said bill sponsor Vincent Ignizio.'"

It's a great idea.

[dclozier]

The best way to keep inspectors from looking the other way for cash under the table is to be able to see when they're looking the other way. This also protects the restaurant owners too since the inspector can't threaten them over something imaginary because it will have to be on the video recording to back up their statements.

Much maligned Google goggles

[sunderland56]

"the much-maligned Google goggles"

They aren't maligned as a working tool; they're maligned as a geek toy.

Wearing a welding helmet while welding? OK. Wearing a welding helmet to the local bar? Expect some ridicule.

The system in NYC is so worthless anyway...

[Bourdain]

...as someone who has scoured and mined the NYC health department data (not to mention the review / grade pending period making the data even more worthless; i.e., most restaurants receive a hidden "C" at which point they display a "Grade Pending" sign then have a month to get their "A" at their reinspection and then most likely go back to their "C" ways --> to all those statisticians out there, which rating is the real one? the first one when they weren't expecting it or the one where they had a few weeks notice?

My hope and wish is that the letter grades determined by the score would be meaningfully correlated to the risk of food poisoning in the restaurant however there is little relationship between those things and that restaurants wouldn't have a chance to get a reinspection which clearly defeats the purpose of the test in the eyes of anyone with even the most minimal statistical/scientific education.

Instead of using google glass, the health department should reevaluate their methods of inspection and reinspection grading policy where part of their inspection relates to testing actual prepared food instead of seeing if a mouse or roach might have been on the floor (oftentimes they can just scurry in from the sidewalk and have zero impact on the food)

Buy a decent camera

[cgfsd]

Instead of spending $1500, why don't they buy a decent camera with a flash for 1/10 of the cost.
Maybe throw in a tablet for $300 to help documentation.

The Glass sucks at low light conditions and high contrast conditions found in coolers and kitchens.
Using Glass sounds good, but common sense sounds even better.