By Technology
Below the Neck: Body- and Wrist-Worn Wearables in the Workplace
Watch this panel of thought leaders and practitioners from different enterprises share use cases of body- and wrist-worn wearables they’ve deployed in their organizations. You’ll see that below-the-neck wearable devices are being applied to both collect data from and push immediate feedback to workers: Applications and Lessons: In healthcare, wearable data is used to learn more about patients and improve care. With new possibilities of collecting data on human behavior, chronic conditions, etc. come new, never-before-seen challenges for those in medicine. How can wearable data be used – and more significantly, how should it be used – to change patient care, make better care decisions, coordinate care more effectively, and empower patients to care for themselves? In other workplaces, wearable data helps identify hazards and keep employees safe. A small wearable radiation detector can ensure that astronauts stay below established exposure safety levels on space missions. Leidos is developing such a device for NASA, taking a commercial, off-the-shelf device and extending its capabilities to fit the user’s needs and limitations in space. The EHS team at General Electric is focusing on highly hazardous processes across the company’s portfolio, exploring wearables from two angles: Body-worn wearables that can make hidden hazards […]
2 min read
Finding Wearables in Every Corner of the Enterprise
You wouldn’t think that a financial services corporation, a children’s toy retailer, a railway company, and the U.S. Navy could relate to one another but in this new age of mobility – really a new age of mobile computing – companies and individuals are finding the same emerging technologies can meet their differing needs. As it has become more and more possible (and desirable) to live our lives on the go, our jobs are following suit. Whether you sit at a desk, stand on an assembly line, spend your days walking around a warehouse, or travel from job to job; wearable technology has something to offer to make your work easier, more productive, and safer. See how wearables are seeping into every corner of the industry landscape: Fidelity Investments Fidelity Labs recently partnered with Strivr to develop immersive Virtual Reality “empathy training” simulations for its customer service representatives. Wearing the Google DayDream headset, employees go through a simulated call; they’re able to see the distressed customer on the other end of the line both during and after the call, and witness the impact of their responses on the customer in his/her home. Trainees can observe the virtual client’s facial expressions […]
4 min read
Consumer Wearables That Could Work For Your Business
I recently did some field research. Actually, I went online shopping but I promise it was work-related! As an enterprise wearables expert, I don’t usually follow the consumer wearables market. I don’t have a fitness tracker or an Apple Watch, but I suspect many of the wearable devices available to consumers today have enterprise potential. I did some browsing, and found that consumer wearables fall into several categories. I searched for devices in each category that might be useful in an enterprise setting. I didn’t buy any of these wearables (no budget for a whim), so I’m writing with the assumption that the devices do what they’re advertised to do. Armbands and Wristbands Myo The Myo armband by Thalmic Labs is like a touch-free mouse for your tech, allowing you to control connected devices such as a smartphone or presentation clicker using gesture and motion. With SDKs for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, developers have a lot of freedom to build applications for the Myo, and some professionals have already adapted the device to their needs. Surgeons in Spain, for instance, are using the Myo to navigate medical records in the OR. RE-vibe RE-vibe by FokusLabs claims to “encourage mindfulness while studying or at […]
8 min read
The Wearable Road Less Traveled: Not Your Average Enterprise Wearables
Smart glasses like the Vuzix M300 and the long-awaited Google Glass Enterprise Edition; AR/VR headsets like the HoloLens and Oculus Rift; smartwatches like the Samsung Gear S3—these wearables get a lot of coverage; but how many cases of enterprises using temperature-regulating wearables or custom smart bands do you know of? Read about companies exploring the wearable road less traveled: Caterpillar In Spring 2015 it was reported that Caterpillar planned to use dorsaVi’s medical-grade wearable sensor technology to monitor and evaluate the movement of its workers using heavy material handling equipment, with the goal of discovering best practices and improving safety. The ViSafe solution features multiple (wearable) movement and muscle activity sensors that track how users move in their daily work lives—how their lower backs, shoulders, etc. move while performing tasks. The sensor data synced with video footage can be analyzed to pinpoint unsafe work practices like challenging postures and repetitive motions that would cause injury, and to reveal where modifications should be made in the workplace. For Caterpillar, ViSafe analysts would help come up with a plan to optimize both the workplace and workforce to prevent injury, including training workers in safe manual handling and implementing potential interventions at work […]
6 min read
Below the Neck: Examples of Body-Worn Wearables in Enterprise
It seems that recently a group of major enterprises, specifically Boeing, UPS, General Electric, ThyssenKrupp Elevator and Lockheed Martin, have been receiving a surge of coverage in articles on the topic of wearables in enterprise. The innovators behind the use of wearables at each of these companies will, of course, be speaking at EWTS 2017, sharing their experiences and best-practice user advice. But those companies are garnering attention primarily for their use of Augmented Reality smart glasses and other heads-up displays. The following are four examples of workers wearing technology below the neck, on the job: San Diego International Airport The San Diego International Airport (SAN) partnered with Samsung SDS America and Total Communicator Solutions to make its airport IT operations more responsive. SAN is the first international airport to use Samsung smartwatches, specifically the Samsung Gear S3 and S2 watches. TCS provided the software part of the solution—its Spark Compass intelligent communications platform – integrated with SAN’s “existing operational infrastructure and data solutions” – uses beacon technology to provide location tracking and facilitate communication between smartwatch-wearing airport staff members. So, when an IT issue is reported, the solution alerts the nearest IT staff person via his or her smartwatch. […]
5 min read
Body-worn Enterprise Wearables: Where’s the Love?
Smart glasses, VR headsets and even smart (AR) helmets have been stealing the spotlight when it comes to enterprise wearables, which begs the question: Why haven’t devices worn below the neck taken off in the workplace? Perhaps smart glasses for enterprise took off faster precisely because the consumer market did not, because there wasn’t a strong enough consumer demand for – or real consumer interest in – smart eyewear (remember the Glass backlash.) Enterprises, however, expressed a lot of interest – chiefly doctors and field service companies – encouraging the solution providers to re-direct their efforts a la Google. But there is a consumer wearables market, mainly for wrist devices; and while this may be an uncertain market, hardware makers seem to be focusing their efforts where they believe lies the greater or more immediate demand. Of course, this is just one theory based upon one person’s observation. Additional theories are welcome, for this is truly puzzling to an enterprise wearable tech advocate such as myself. Why are wrist wearables manufacturers overlooking the enterprise? Is there hope for wrist- and body-worn wearables beyond corporate wellness? Smart bands, watches, clothing, badges and other accessories–how can real workers use these devices? Are […]
4 min read
Defining New Realities: AR/VR/MR
As a larger community, enterprise wearable tech users, solution providers, experts and enthusiasts need to get on the same page in 2017. For one, they need to see “eye to eye” when it comes to distinguishing between Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality, for there are too many conflicting definitions out there. We cannot communicate and problem solve across industries without common understanding or a common framework. Differing classifications for AR, VR and MR make clear communication between solution providers and end users problematic. Solution providers seem to have their own unique ways of not only describing the different realities but also of categorizing their own solutions; while end users often don’t fully understand the current capabilities and limitations of these technologies, or appreciate which “reality” would best serve their business needs. Sibling technologies? Kissing cousins? Competing realities? And is MR truly a combination of both AR and VR? It seems most people get the concept of Virtual Reality; it’s the differences between Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality that are less clear. End users and experts don’t seem to be on the same page, with everyone describing these new realities differently and some even throwing the term “Assisted Reality” […]
6 min read
Vyoocam, A Unique Kind of Wearable Camera
Choosing the right hands-free POV camera for your business use case: The opportunity for wearable cameras in the enterprise There is tremendous opportunity for wearable cameras of all types in the enterprise. Many organizations today use smartphones and tablets to capture photos and video on the job—for documentation, to show a colleague, etc. But when you need to record or transmit video from the field a hand-held phone is not the best tool, not when workers need their hands free and both eyes on the task at hand. Surely many work processes that already incorporate cameras could greatly improve with the introduction of hands-free data capture. Not all wearable cameras, however, are created equal.So how do we begin to sort through all the different camera-equipped wearables on the market? The better-known enterprise smart glasses (Google Glass, Vuzix, etc.) boast many features, one of which is a camera. But what if your organization simply wants to get employees out to a job, recording and streaming video heads-up and hands-free, as quickly as possible? Which device do you choose?Today’s smart glasses are typically not out-of-the-box solutions—they have complex user interfaces, run full graphics, and are packed with sensors that use up power […]
6 min read
Fitbit Manages to Show Corporate Wellness Effectiveness but Solution Still Lacking
Written by Special Guest Blogger Reginald Parris, Wearables Analyst, Lux Research Fitbit released a set of data to combat skepticism surrounding how wearable activity trackers actually improve health. The Fitabase Research Library lists more than 170 studies that have used Fitbit devices in one place. The company also sponsored a study by Springbuk that examined the return on investment of workplace wearables and found that the average reduced health care costs of employees was about $1,300 per person. The study followed 2,689 individuals over two years, including a control group and 866 employees who opted in and received partially subsidized Fitbits. Of those who opted in, 266 used their Fitbit for at least half of the program, and these users’ health care costs decreased by 46%. Amy McDonough, Vice President of Fitbit Group Health, said that the studies were “looking at everyone from ‘low-steppers’ – around 6,600 steps per day – to those stepping beyond the recommended 10,000 steps per day, and they are all getting a decreased health care cost.”Although Fitbit’s corporate wellness study appears to demonstrate a promising role for wearables in lowering employee health care costs, there are three reasons why the company’s reported figures from its […]
4 min read
3 Cool Use Cases of HoloLens in Enterprise
New realities – Augmented, Virtual and Mixed – open up tremendous opportunities for visualization, communication and training in the enterprise. Applications for these technologies may not be as exciting as in Gaming and Entertainment, but they are changing the way we work and will ultimately revolutionize a number of industries. Recognizing this, Microsoft has been marketing its HoloLens Mixed Reality headset to the enterprise sector. It’s not just that the price point puts the technology out of reach for consumers, or that HoloLens could potentially endow companies with capabilities solving many of the limitations of current technologies—HoloLens is paving the way for the future of work, even allowing industries to take a major leap into that future. Read on for some of the latest and most exciting use cases of HoloLens in enterprise: CDM Smith This Boston-based construction firm specializing in large-scale infrastructure jobs believes Augmented Reality will help improve project collaboration and prevent costly mistakes. To that end, CDM Smith has been working with Object Theory, whose software solution attempts to “enable better conversations” by making sure everyone involved in a building project is on the same page, looking at the same thing. With its ability to overlay holograms […]
5 min read
Smart Glasses? It’s All About Perspective
Written by Special Guest Blogger Peter Verstraeten, CEO, Proceedix Originally published as a white paper – See more papers and other resources by visiting the Resource Center of Proceedix’s website Smart glasses can be defined as a wearable computer adding information to what the wearer sees. Since Google’s Glass unlocked the market of smart eyewear in 2013, many commercial alternatives were launched or announced. In this emerging industry the title “smart” seems to cover a broad variety of innovative concepts and technologies. In analogy to the traditional eyewear market, we propose to segment this new category from the wearer’s perspective. This approach leaves us with 5 classes of smart eyewear. The debate about the future, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of this emerging eyewear market will differ for each of these 5 segments. Google Glass was the Eye-Opener Wikipedia defines smart glasses as a wearable computer that adds information to what the wearer sees. While there were various attempts to realize such devices over the past decades, Google definitely has the prerogative of raising the awareness of the general public for this technology. Its Google Glass finally unlocked the market of smart eyewear in 2013. Since then over a […]
5 min read
Enterprise Wearables: Human Design and Ergonomic Considerations
The latest high-profile wearable devices – including the Microsoft HoloLens and the DAQRI Smart Helmet; new smart glasses like the Vuzix M300, Epson Moverio BT-300, and the Meta 2; the arrival of VR in the form of back-to-back Oculus Rift and HTC Vive releases; and even mentions of digital tattoos and smart contact lenses – seem to signal a next phase in the advancement of wearable technology, especially the next generation of heads-up or head-mounted displays for enterprise use. As new wearable tech hits the market, we wonder what makes a wearable device enterprise-worthy? What do we require from enterprise-grade wearables? We’ve come up with a list of criteria for designing and evaluating wearable hardware from an ergonomics and human-centered (or worker-centric) design perspective: Wearable technology has dramatically redefined the relationship between user and computer, bringing us closer than ever to our technology. Seriously, these devices are no longer in our hands; they’re on our bodies and around our heads (!), and with that comes a host of issues from display to power and processing. Wearables also pose new ergonomic challenges. Take physical comfort, for instance: Undoubtedly, comfort is a consideration in smartphone and tablet design but its import is […]
8 min read
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