The NYPD statement says the department obtained two pairs of Google Glass in December and has been "evaluating these devices in an attempt to determine any possible useful applications."
The statement, released Friday night, goes on to say that the high-tech devices "have not been deployed in any actual field or patrol operations, but rather are being assessed as to how they may be appropriately utilized or incorporated into any existing technology-based functions."
A police spokesman would not give additional information about the department's beta-testing of the technology, and would not say how the department acquired the two pairs of Google Glass, a hands-free computer that displays information much like a smartphone and is worn like a pair of eyeglasses.
Google Glass is not yet available for sale on the market, but according to the product's website, U.S. residents can sign up through the Google Glass Explorer Program for limited slots to become early purchasers of the product. The cost of the device has been widely reported at $1,500 a pair.
