WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY
Organizations are continuously looking for ways to improve worker productivity and efficiency in the fast-paced business climate of today. A potential answer to this problem is wearable technology, which offers a range of apps to help with work-related activities and promote employee wellbeing.
Types of Wearable Devices and Their Functions
1Fitness Trackers
Worn on the body to monitor physical activities, including step count, heart rate, and sleep patterns. It can encourage team-building and friendly competition among co-workers through sharing fitness achievements and goals.
2Smartwatches
Provides a range of features, such as notifications, communication, and activity monitoring, all on the user’s wrist. Key features include Notifications from smartphones, Calendars and reminders, Fitness and health tracking, and Quick access to essential apps and tools.
3Exoskeletons
Also known as exosuits, are wearable mechanical devices that enhance a user’s physical capabilities. It can assist employees in physically demanding tasks or in industries where heavy lifting and repetitive actions are required, reducing the risk of injury and fatigue. Examples of exoskeleton functions include: Lifting assistance, Enhanced mobility, and Improved posture and ergonomics.
4Augmented and Virtual Reality Devices
These devices can be used in the workplace to improve collaboration, communication, and employee training. By facilitating remote meetings and virtual walkthroughs, AR and VR technologies can save time and resources, enabling employees to focus on critical tasks.
5Smart Glasses
Incorporate displays and cameras, providing hands-free access to digital information. These devices can help employees access real-time data, instructions, or navigation, allowing them to perform tasks more efficiently. Smart glasses, like Google Glass or Vuzix, can be used in industries such as logistics, manufacturing, and healthcare, enhancing productivity and reducing errors.
How can wearables help safety in workplaces?
1Fall Protection: Wearables equipped with accelerometers can detect sudden movements indicative of a fall, providing alerts for assistance
2Proximity and Physical Safety
GPS-enabled wearables enhance lone worker safety by tracking their location, especially in large or hazardous environments
Proximity sensors in wearables can help prevent collisions by providing alerts when workers or equipment come too close to each other
GPS and location-tracking features assist in tracking workers’ locations, especially in large or hazardous environments
3Ergonomics
Exoskeletons, or wearables that monitor posture, offer workers input on how to lift objects properly, maintain good posture, and use other ways to lessen the physical strain on their bodies and maybe avoid musculoskeletal problems. By actively lowering eye strain with features like lighting condition monitoring and eye fatigue mitigation reminders, smart wearable glasses improve ergonomics
4Environmental Hazards
Wearables with environmental sensors detect air quality, alerting users to potential hazards like pollution or toxic gases. Temperature and humidity alerts from monitoring devices warn workers of extreme working conditions
5Emergency Response
Communication-enabled wearables facilitate real-time communication and instant alerts, crucial for emergency response. Location-tracking features in wearables assist in identifying workers’ locations during emergencies and evacuations
6Worker Health and Well-Being
Fatigue detection through biometric data helps prevent exhaustion, prompting workers to take necessary breaks.
Stress monitoring wearables offer feedback and suggestions to manage stress in high-pressure environments
7Tool and Equipment Monitoring
Wearables integrated with tools and machinery monitor usage, providing alerts for maintenance or potential malfunctions. Providing on-site users with visual guidance, wearables facilitate tasks such as equipment maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and training Top of Form
Types of available wearable devices
SMART HELMET
SMART CLOTHING
SMART GLASSES
EXOSKELETON
SMART GLOVE
SMARTWATCH
Barriers of Adoption
Privacy and Security
Training, and Familiarity
Overreliance on technology for safety
Distraction, Misuse, and Device Management
Customization and Long-Term Engagement
Workplace smart wearables can save lives, reduce injuries, improve safety culture, improve employee morale, and improve safety key performance indicator (KPI) reductions — all important safety benefits — but they also raise some issues that should be carefully considered. To fully utilize smart wearables and ensure their seamless integration for optimizing safety and efficiency in the constantly evolving modern workplace, these challenges must be navigated as technology continues to advance.
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