In 2018, a study was released by Deloitte stating that around 2.4 million manufacturing jobs might go vacant, creating a big skill gap in the manufacturing sector. To help the workers manage issues in dangerous environments and technologies like wind turbines and even high-speed or hard-to-reach machinery, RealWear built the HMT-1 headset that connects to Microsoft Teams or Cisco Webex Teams for remote support.
The HMT-1 is a ruggedized, wearable computer that liberates the worker’s hands in dangerous situations. This device was developed by RealWear, an information transfer company that provides on-site information and in-the-field job training software and hardware to help companies improve their employee’s safety and even increase work productivity.
One of the requirements of working as a firstliner is having to work in a high-hazard environment, with the need to utilize both hands for efficiency and safety. Other than that, nowadays, they are required to often access a type of gadget to either gather information or participate with other workers. Firstline workers make up around 2 billion of the total workforce, with around 5 percent being skilled industrial employees with high information needs, according to Harvard Business Review.
Works with Microsoft and Cisco
“Integrating Microsoft Teams with RealWear’s hands-free connected worker platform brings added safety to workers,” Emma Williams, Corporate Vice President for Modern Workplace Transformations, said. “Microsoft Teams on RealWear has the potential to reduce downtime, as well as dependence on handheld devices in dangerous work environments.”
The RealWear solution is not only working with the Microsoft collaboration ecosystem but is also compatible with Cisco. In a blog article, Nathalie Saintuma writes, “More than a hard hat, the RealWear HMT-1 features smart technology, including the power of Cisco Webex collaboration tools to increase productivity for industrial collaborators. Indeed, this sector requires more and more expertise to mitigate any risk of breakdowns and technical incidents that can cause significant loss of revenue. When dealing with high-risk industrial machinery or high-voltage environments such as drilling rigs, wind farms, hydraulic plants, or other oil platforms, knowledge sharing among experts is essential.”
RealWear is equipped with noise cancellation technology, made for voice commands. It has an adjustable micro-display screen, which runs on Android, built explicitly for safe information dissemination and communication. Sanjay Jhawar, president of RealWear, states, “Voice-optimizing Microsoft Teams for our reality-first, digital second headset will deliver measurable ROI in-situ for industry, empowering all firstline workers.”
Global leaders in various sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and automotive trust HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1 to fill in the gap in their global workforce. According to Sanjay Jhawar, “this integration addresses a common request from our customers to deliver Teams on HMT-1 headsets, enabling them to now operate the Teams app and start a remote meeting with just their voice.”
YouTube: RealWear Headset Helps Firstline Workers Collaborate Better
Photo credit: All media shown is owned by RealWear and was provided as part of a press kit.
Source: RealWear press release
