Among consumers, virtual glasses are starting to become quite common. Five per cent even have VR glasses in their homes. When it comes to companies, it is unclear to what extent the smart work glasses have already been introduced in the workplace. Is it already time for that? And what are the pros and cons?
A recent survey by Multiscope among 6,700 Dutch people shows that five per cent of consumers have VR glasses in their homes. Sales of these types of glasses are expected to exceed one million in the coming year. Globally, we are spending as much as 95 per cent more on virtual and augmented reality solutions this year than in 2017, to the tune of $17.8 billion. Most of these glasses work with a separate smartphone as a screen. These are pretty impressive figures, which still far exceed the numbers of vr glasses in the workplace.
Devices
Glasses that can direct work and meanwhile free the employee's hands to work on a machine, warehouse or drive a forklift. The technology is there, but in practice it is still little used. Many IT decision-makers are familiar with the solution, but indicate that its use still needs to be explored more extensively. Nevertheless, experts say it won't be long before the workplace will look different. History also tells us that consumer technology is rapidly being applied in business environments as well. One example is the opmarks of the smartphone, which is now also widely used for business purposes. Indeed, the laptop and the smartphone together lead as the most popular mobile devices in the business market, according to recent research. Ten years ago, no one would have thought so.
VR glasses as a business component
In a number of industries, so-called wearables are already in full use. An example in the Fitbit, which measures patients' heart rate, blood pressure and other factors in the healthcare sector. But to actually deploy the glasses in a business environment, Internet-of-Things (IoT) solutions need to be part of the existing IT household. This, of course, is the big difference with consumer applications and where it is still lacking in many businesses. Deploying virtual glasses without integrating data and applications within a company's own network does not help a company move forward.
Smart glasses on the shop floor
Research into expectations of such smart IoT applications reveals that 73% of IT decision-makers are familiar with so-called edge computing devices. Their use is still in the research phase. This is not surprising as it is simply not the most normal thing in the world for people who need their hands to help people at bedside or control a machine to be equally at ease with a PC. Indeed, more than 70% of so-called frontline workers are not permanently equipped with digital equipment.
With virtual glasses becoming commonplace in the consumer market and business solutions available and easily integrated into the IT landscape, it won't be long before smart virtual work glasses can be seen on the heads of medical specialists, machine operators and engineers.
Developments
Several software and hardware manufacturers are working on smart solutions for the workplace. Microsoft is the furthest along: Microsoft's IoT platform Windows 10 allows mini-PCs to be combined with Assisted Reality0glasses. For example, a forklift driver can keep his hands on the wheel while receiving information about the route he is driving through the factory hall. A medical specialist can retrieve real-time information from a patient he is currently treating. And the maintenance engineer is in touch with his colleagues via Skype for Business about the machine he is working on.
Toshiba recently unveiled two new smart glasses tuned to WIndows 10. In collaboration with wearable partner Ubimax, Toshiba offers three new modules that allow smart work glasses users to improve work processes in manufacturing and maintenance environments. The new capabilities for the recently launched assisted reality smart glasses are the first Windows 10-based solutions in the market.
Epson also recently announced a new Moverio smart glass and, in addition, Apple, Amazon and Samsung are also developing smart work glasses. On the other hand, Intel announced earlier this year that it would stop developing its smart glass Vaunt due to the lack of investors.
Source: dVO.be/X
Photo: Pixabay
