In recent years technological developments have had an extraordinary breakthrough by changing the way we interact with these new trends, as well as the way we operate in our tasks both in daily life and at work. Among these trends, it is worth mentioning wearable technology, which is an emerging trend that integrates electronics into daily activities and fits into the changing lifestyles by being worn on any part of the body.
Wearable technology has the potential to greatly increase productivity through a variety of different methods. We can first mention the smartwatches which have made it possible for users to control their notifications more easily and quickly without the need to pick up their phones. For users, smartwatches can monitor heart rate, sleep habits, and physical activity. In addition, smartwatches also improve the well-being of users by giving them access to apps designed around specific health conditions like diabetes. Another classic example of wearable technology is smart glasses. Augmented reality glasses are practical devices that give us the opportunity to act freely by offering us every projection of the image we want to have in our retina. In this way, these glasses make it possible for users to perform different actions at the same time, without having to interrupt their tasks to get instructions or to read traditional printed manuals.
In this article, we will focus more on smart glasses to give general information about the qualities and benefits that their adoption brings. Furthermore, this article will bring a guide on how to find the right Smart Glasses for your company’s needs.
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What are smart glasses?
As mentioned above, the term “smart glasses” means a device that brings to the eyes of users a screen with data and information that can be used for various purposes. The user manages to observe the surrounding environment without distractions and successfully completes his tasks thanks to the information received from the smart glasses. Through these smart glasses, users are able to experience augmented reality. The peculiarity that makes these smart glasses to be considered as the technological innovation of the moment is the ability to transmit projected digital images as well as the possibility that allows the user to see through it, seeing the objects in front of them or the surrounding environment at the same time.
In addition, the user can communicate with the system for example with voice, signs, or finger sweeps. The need to be competitive and contemporary in the market has made the interest in the adoption of these smart glasses by businesses in various fields increase significantly. At the same time, finding opportunities to implement these smart glasses in various business operating processes is finding sufficient expansion, bringing effective solutions, and meeting the requirements of the business world.
What are the potential areas for business use?
- Remote expert assistance
- Warehousing
- Repair & Maintenance
- Assembling
- Training
Where Will the Smart Glasses Be Used?
One of the most important factors to consider when selecting smart glasses is the condition in which field workers are, in other words, the conditions of workers who need support. In this way, companies must be careful in the selection they make for smart glasses so as not to restrict the movements of workers. Companies need to understand and take into account the impact of various environmental factors. Here we can mention some cases such as:
- The light conditions of the environment where the worker is located affect the possibilities of filming and scanning the camera and the quality of AR elements.
- Acoustic pollution is another element that significantly complicates voice control and communication.
- At the same time, the ambient temperature is another element that must be taken into account, since smart glasses have their own temperature of durability.
- Lastly, dust, dirt, and humidity exposure require different enduring types of smart glasses.
Monocular or Binocular Smart Glasses?
First of all, companies have two choices, between monocular glasses and binoculars depending on the model that best suits the needs of the company. But what do these two models mean?
Initially, the monocular model, which includes RealWear (HMT-1, HMT-1Z1), Vuzix (M300XL, M400, M4000, and Blade), and Google Glass (Enterprise Edition 2) have a single screen, with an advanced operating system and the ability to wear these glasses and work hands-free without distraction.
On the other hand, we have the binocular model, it is worth mentioning here Epson Moverio devices (BT-300, BT-350, BT-35E, BT-40, and BT-40S) and this is a more elegant and light model, suitable for enjoying full Augmented Reality or 3D experiences that include the entire field of view.
What are the main features to consider?
Smart glasses vary based on the features and characteristics that have. For this reason, companies need to be clear about what they are looking for based on the needs they have to ensure the efficient fulfillment of their operational processes. Let’s see below some of the necessary features that different types of smart glasses must meet:
- Weight: Smart glasses should weigh to a considerable extent to be easy to wear and not create difficulties when moving to perform tasks.
- Camera resolution: It is worth mentioning here that smart glasses with a high-definition screen and a 16-megapixel camera are very useful for recording or viewing the content in difficult situations, influenced by the environmental factors mentioned above.
- Microphone quality: This is another feature that smart glasses should have. Accurate voice recognition is of great importance for voice commands that can be sent and that allow workers to work hands-free without distraction.
- Durability: As mentioned above there are various environmental factors that affect the proper working of these smart glasses. The features that should characterize these smart glasses have to do with their durability to withstand accidental drops, humidity, wind, dust, or environments with a very high temperature.
- Battery capacity: Considering the fact that these smart glasses are widely used in the field, which means far from the headquarter or even in environments without sufficient access to electricity, the storage capacity of the battery should be quite high. The battery life should be high and the charging options should be of the type such as a rechargeable battery or replaceable battery to enable the work to continue normally without interruption.
- Operating system: Manufacturers build and run their smart glass products on a variety of platform options such as Google’s operating system Android, Windows, and Linux. In this way, companies have the possibility of many choices based on their preferences.
With the growing need for the adoption of these glasses, their diversity in the market has also increased. A variety of types of smart glasses are currently on the market recently starting from glasses with integrated microphones, external headphones, binoculars, monocular screens, and many many other features.
So, the diversity in the choice of these smart glasses is not lacking, just as at the same time the areas where we find applications of these smart glasses are not lacking. Starting with field services thousands of miles from headquarters, Augmented Reality offers fast and effective solutions. Field service workers, thanks to the specialized expertise of colleagues who may be located in the headquarter or other remote locations, can use AR-enabled smart glasses to gain the necessary knowledge and guidance on the issues they face. Considering the many benefits that the implementation of these smart glasses offers to businesses, their adoption is strongly encouraged.
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