Wearables are making their way into industries in all shapes and sizes. Tablets that provide expert feedback and augmented reality goggles that give visual overhead information can all help manufacturing and other sectors cope with a looming threat of top talent nearing retirement age.
“Smart glasses, heads up displays, augmented reality, [and] virtual reality units are showing the most positive signs of adoption and use cases,” said Stephanie Atkinson, CEO and founding partner of research firm Compass Intelligence.
Industries are recognizing the benefits of wearables. Schlumberger Technology Investments and Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures co-invested in industrial-grade wearable firms, according to 2016 research from CB Insights. Newer employees will likely be familiar with this tech, too: IDC projected in December that the wearables market would reach 111.1 million shipped units by 2016, up 44.4 percent year-over-year.
Technology firm Accenture has demonstrated how wearables are used to provide expertise out in the field. The company has showcased a range of arm-mounted tablets, which can be used alongside a helmet-mounted camera to help offshore workers receive instructions from experts working back on land.
This approach helps train workers faster. U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics from 2015 put the average age of employees in the oil and gas extraction industry at 39.5. In 2012, it was 44.7. Younger employees can complete tasks with equipment they have yet to encounter, guided remotely by more experienced professionals.
Kopin is a firm developing similar technology, but dismisses the idea of an arm-mounted tablet. The company has worked with clients like BP, Shell and Chevron, which are considering using the firm’s headgear to simplify operations.
Kopin’s Golden-i headsets clip a small screen to the user’s headgear. It can provide the same information as a tablet, without forcing the user to hold an arm up to complete tasks. The screen can also sit outside a protective head shield, improving safety.
Beyond training, fitness tracking is another area where wearables are proving useful. “Health and fitness trackers could provide real-time intelligence and vital statistics of workers out in the field, including sending alarms and location information in case of distress or other incidents,” Atkinson said.
BP’s U.S. operations rolled out a health and fitness program that gave employees Fitbit trackers. The trackers give employees discounts on health insurance premiums, depending on how many steps are taken. The company announced that 81 percent of employees reached the goal of one million steps in a year.
An expansion of this capability could allow wearables to inform a team out in the field if a member appears unwell. “The system could come on and say, hey, the oxygen levels in your blood have dropped, you need to take a rest. Tells the other guys, hey, Jeff needs to take a five-minute break,” said Jeffrey Jacobsen, senior advisor to the CEO at Kopin.
However, some hurdles need to be overcome before wearables can become commonplace in industry. Wearables, powered by tiny batteries, need to be protected against fire hazards—essential in the oil industry. Atkinson cites i-SAFE and ATEX standards as two key safety benchmarks for wearables.
“Most wearables do not come of out of the box with the level of ruggedization and safety/compliance standards that are required, and there are many within oil and gas because of the risk of fire and other hazards,” Atkinson said.
Michael Brown is a technology reporter and editor. He has written for the International Business Times and the Sunday Times in London, and holds a master of science from Columbia University School of Journalism.