Thanks to a human-centered approach to technology, the world of business has been witnessing a tremendous sea change. Indeed, technological innovation is increasingly focusing on field operators. Shifting attention on the operators and their needs has enabled companies to overcome the systems’ rigidities and increase workers’ satisfaction.
Human-device interaction opens up entirely new perspectives. Among such devices are wearables, specifically, smart glasses equipped with an Augmented Reality collaborative platform.
We discuss the humanization of technology and the advantages it brings to the operational cycle with Marco Zanella, HeadApp Business Development & Sales Manager . Let’s discover what humanizing technology means.
How Technology Serves Man
“For quite some time, the operator in the field had to adapt. In a way, he was forced to use technologies that were born for those who did a desk job. These solutions were readapted for field use, but did not respond to the different needs of the technician in the field,” explains Marco Zanella.
Let’s think of the maintenance technician at work: he used a PC, but this prevented him from having his hands free to carry out field interventions. However, recently there has been a reversal, with technology designed and implemented according to the different needs of humans and the specific scenarios in which they operate.
“The humanization of technology is an important issue upon which companies have been increasingly investing on. In fact, it was the novelty of the Mcm Web Edition 2021: all of us, in our reports, focused on human-device interaction. With wearable devices, such as smart glasses equipped with an AR collaborative platform, a sea change has occurred. Proof of this is the increased use of these devices in companies”.
Operational Activity: Interaction and Smart Glasses
Today the approach is completely different: technology serves man. His needs are at the heart of technological transformation. Indeed, technology adapts to the requirements of those who use it in different contexts.
“Now it is possible to give a precise, prompt answer to maintenance workers, inspectors, technicians, supervisors, that is, all field operators. How? With 4.0 tools and ‘hand-free’ solutions designed for them, such as smart glasses,” continues Zanella.
Wearables now bring together all the traditional tools of interaction between man and devices (pen, mouse, touch). They “mark a real watershed for our times. Think, for example, of the voice command built in inthe smart glasses. This hi-tech device encompasses the traditional ways of interacting and goes beyond them with a total paradigmatic shift that places man at the center. Smart glasses are the perfect device for every operation.”
What Makes a Field-Centric Operating Platform
After years of experimentation, Zanella points out, today 4.0 technologies are available for full interoperability for field activities. However, to get the best responses and reap the benefits of smart glasses, they need to be connected to a collaborative platform.
“In effect, , the platform will automatically suggest the best solution, such as a page of a user manual to solve a machine fault, depending on what the operator is doing. ” The ready2use platform manages interventions by coordinating with assistants and remote company supervision.
What does a field-centric operations platform do? It is able to:
- Inform
- Objectify
- Support
- Train
During all the phases of the operational cycle, a collaborative platform like Eye4Task supports the technician in the field, who works “hands-free”. As a result, he can concentrate and operate in total safety, especially in mission critical contexts (e.g., the energy sector in AR).
The technician in the field has a series of tools, from access to manuals to the visualization of work instructions; from remote assistance (specifically the Support Room) to the reception of IoT, ERP, Scada, MES information, to name but a few, with excellent effects on performance.
For more information on the HeadApp software, contact us for a free consultation or visit our Solutions page.