We access information through our senses. More than 80% of the information is accessed through our sight. Our ability to receive and process the information is a function of our mental capacity, otherwise known as cognitive load.

Performing each task will reduce the capacity for others, especially if we are multi-tasking. Another factor affecting cognitive load is cognitive distance or the number of steps we take to process and apply the information. Consider a caregiver receiving an instruction to care for a patient’s wound over smartphone video conferencing. One hand will be occupied to hold and point the smartphone at the wound to transmit the video, and the other hand, to treat the wound. Looking at the physical world, an enormous amount of information is absorbed and has to be processed. This means the information is received until it’s acted upon; there is delay i.e. cognitive distance. However, using a superimposed image on the AR screen of the smart glass will significantly reduce cognitive distance, and the information as a whole is immediately available for processing. In addition, Smart Glasses are equipped with audio and gesture commands. That is why Smart Glasses are so powerful, and the user’s hands both remain free to perform any necessary hands-on tasks such as patient care.