1. Basics of industrial smart glasses

1.1. What are industrial smart glasses?

Smart glasses are wearable devices worn on the head, equipped with a display, camera, microphone, buttons, etc., and provide information to the wearer through the display, while at the same time enabling communication with people who are far away from the wearer. will do. The smart glasses can be used in various industrial sites such as manufacturing, construction, and logistics. It's called smart glasses.

Example of industrial smart glasses: RealWear Navigator 500

1.2. How smart glasses work

I would like to take a closer look at how industrial smart glasses work, using RealWear 's Navigator 500 as an example.

You can see the black camera unit in the center. Behind it, on the left side, are some push buttons and inside this is the board.	The battery is mounted on the other side and can be removed and a charged battery can be mounted.
The camera unit can also be removed. It will be released with different camera modules and will be interchangeable as needed.	The part that protrudes forward is the display unit, and it can be set to either the left or right according to the wearer's effectiveness.

The main unit can be attached to a helmet or hat with a separately sold clip or band, or can be attached directly to the head using the included band.

1.3. Smart glasses market trends

Working style reforms and the promotion of DX (digital transformation) are demanding work efficiency and productivity improvements. The need for smart glasses is also increasing significantly because it is possible to grasp the local situation and provide work support even from the ground.

2. Applications and utilization methods of smart glasses

Industrial field workers often work in hazardous environments and require tools that allow them to do their jobs safely and efficiently. Here, I would like to consider some ways of using smart glasses for industrial use.

2.1. Remote work support/remote presence

Telework has increased due to working styles and the impact of infectious diseases, and many people may have more opportunities to use video conferencing. Of course, industrial smart glasses can also be used for video conferencing. You can share what field workers wearing smart glasses see and interact with remote experts in real time via video conferencing. Field workers can stay focused on their work, share local conditions, and receive work assistance. Now, let's take a look at the benefits of remote work support / remote presence using smart glasses.

2.1.1. Cost reduction

The first is cost reduction. One of the benefits of remote work support using smart glasses is cost reduction. In the past, experts around the world traveled to the field to solve problems (big or small) and were tied up on-site for hours or days. Since it can be solved in minutes, transportation and work costs can be greatly reduced.

2.1.2. Reduced downtime

次に、ダウンタイムの削減です。コスト削減にも通ずるものですが、現場の機器が故障してから遠隔地にいる専門家が修理するまで、システムは稼働せず生産性が低下します。そのため、遠隔作業支援で早急に問題を解決することは巨額な損失を避けることにつながります。

2.2. Document viewing/video support

How do readers read equipment manuals and work procedure manuals on site? There may already be people who are viewing documents that have been converted to digital data through the promotion of DX on smartphones, tablets, etc. However, there are many dangerous places when it comes to industrial sites, and I think that it is often dangerous to have one hand or both hands occupied to read documents. Smart glasses are mostly operated by button or voice, so you can read documents without having to occupy your hands while working, and you can achieve both safety and productivity. In addition to documents, images and videos can also be checked. Now, let's take a look at the benefits of document viewing / video support using smart glasses.

2.2.1. Balancing Safety and Productivity

The first is the balance between safety and productivity. As I mentioned earlier, many industrial sites have high work sites where there is a risk of falling, places with unstable scaffolding, and many people hold tools in their hands. Even if there is, it is difficult to browse. However, by using smart glasses, both hands can concentrate on other work and it is possible to easily read documents by button operation or voice operation. Therefore, while ensuring safety, it also leads to improved productivity by easily checking the necessary documents.

2.2.2. Technology succession

Next is technology inheritance. Partly due to the declining birthrate and aging population, the labor shortage is becoming more serious, and there is a problem of skill transfer from skilled workers to young people. In some cases, it takes years to develop human resources, and training in a short time is an issue. By digitizing the know-how of experts and using it as educational content, we can expect to pass on technology and make work more individualized.

2.3. Digital Workflow

A workflow represents a series of tasks required to accomplish a task. Many people are probably using it as an approval flow for internal requests for approval and expense reimbursement. Smart glasses are often used in the manufacturing process and inspection process, and by converting the already-determined work procedures into a digital workflow, even inexperienced on-site workers can perform the work reliably without making mistakes. . Now let's take a look at the benefits of digital workflows using smart glasses.

2.3.1. Work standardization

The first is work standardization. By proceeding with the work according to a certain "form", both newcomers and experienced workers can perform the work at a certain level. Mistakes can be reduced because work can be carried out according to the procedure, and by accumulating know-how and incorporating it into the workflow, it also prevents dependence on individual skills.

2.3.2. Visualizing progress

Next is progress visualization. The workflow will carry out the determined steps in order, so you can visually check how much work will be completed. In addition, by sending the work results as a report at the end of the work, the administrator can also grasp the progress. At that time, it is also possible to prevent fraudulent work by sending records such as photos together.

2.3.3. Reduction in education costs

Next is the reduction of educational costs. Know-how that is difficult to convey in documents alone can be conveyed to workers in an easy-to-understand manner using images and videos. In addition, since the items that should be taught to new employees are made into a workflow, the time spent on training new employees is also reduced.

2.4. IIoT

You may have heard the term IoT often, but have you ever heard of the term IIoT? IIoT is an abbreviation for Industrial Internet of Things, which stands for IoT for industry. By sharing the data of industrial machines and systems on the Internet, it will be possible to visualize the worksite. Smart glasses can be used to monitor the operating status of malfunctioning equipment and equipment to be inspected, which is useful for various tasks such as inspection and maintenance. Now, let's take a look at the benefits of IIoT using smart glasses.

2.4.1. Improved productivity

The first is increased productivity. By sharing data from smart glasses over the Internet, workers wearing smart glasses can check not only the operating status of equipment, but also delays in delivery vehicles and the progress of other workers, making it more efficient. It is possible to work on Depending on which smart glasses are used, the process of removing protective gear such as gloves and safety glasses to check digital information can be omitted.

2.4.2. System visualization

Next is visualization of the system. When a problem occurs in the system, the smart glasses quickly receive information and display repair locations and repair methods, helping to restore the system as soon as possible.

RealWear

RealWear's smart glasses are extremely rugged head-mounted devices that are water, dust and drop resistant, equipped with digital microphones and advanced algorithmic noise cancellation, and are voice-controlled even in noisy environments. It is operable. It can also be used with safety glasses and vision correction glasses, and can be freely attached to safety helmets and hard hats.

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