It has been 18 years since Tammie Lou Van Sant held a camera. But nearly two decades after a car accident left her paralyzed from the chest down, Van Sant is shooting again — thanks to a device that could be part of technology's next big trend.

Google's Glass headset, which connects to users' smartphones and displays information on a screen that hovers above one eye, is the first of what analysts say may be a new trend of wearable technology — headsets, watches, fitness trackers and other devices that are worn, rather than slipped into a pocket. Analysts say growing interest in wearable tech could translate into big money for technology firms, with projected sales of up to 9.6 million such devices worldwide by the end of 2016.

But the new technology also has raised concerns about privacy. Lawmakers in Europe and the U.S. have asked Google to clarify its privacy policy in relation to Google Glass: For example how the company will protect the privacy of passersby who may not realize they are being filmed by the handset. Google has told lawmakers it is "thinking carefully" about the privacy issues that have arisen along with its plans to bring Glass to the mass market as soon as next year.