November 25, 2020 – Guardhat, a provider of workforce health and safety solutions and products, has announced the release of its new smart glasses-based solutions that help to ensure the safety and productivity of front-line workers. The new offering is a result of a partnership between Guardhat and Vuzix Corporation, a provider of augmented reality wearable safety technology.
Both of Guardhat’s glasses solutions provide hands-free operation, voice commands, wireless connectivity, and interoperability with Guardhat’s general-purpose Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform, Kyra. Using Kyra, Vuzix’s smart glasses connect to Guardhat’s Theia app, which allows users to track real-time location with inbuilt GPS. Additional key features include wireless connectivity over Wi-Fi*, with offline operation when disconnected, VOIP audio-visual communications/telephony, and local media capture (images, video) with sync to Kyra backend. Users wearing the glasses can also call for help by sounding a panic alarm using voice activation or a dedicated button on the device
“We are thankful for the partnership with Vuzix, which allows us to better support a critical population of people working tirelessly throughout the ongoing pandemic,” said Anupam Sengupta, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer at Guardhat. “We continue to look for creative ways to leverage our technology to keep front-line workers safe every day, and these smart glasses are the next step in that evolution.”
Guardhat’s solutions will come in two wearable variants. The first being the HG1 Smart Glasses device, which utilizes Vuzix’ M400 smart glasses. The second is the HG2 Smart Glasses device, which features the Vuzix M4000 smart glasses. The key differentiator between the options is that the HG2 comes with a see-through waveguide display. The HG2 also comes with a larger WVGA 16×9 854×480 color display; 28 degrees, equivalent to a 9″ mobile device screen at 18″. Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm XR platform.
“The Guardhat app, Theia, brings with it real-time situational awareness that provides our smart glasses wearers with important heads-up and hands free information about their work environments that enhances enterprise worker productivity and safety,” said Paul Travers, CEO at Vuzix. “Vuzix looks forward to supporting Guardhat as they continue to roll out their Vuzix Smart Glasses-based solutions to enterprise workplaces.”
The integration of Guardhat’s software and Vuzix’s hardware will allow users to:
- Make audio/video calls to remote experts and operators;
- Record audio/video and take pictures;
- Operate the device entirely via voice commands;
- Continue offline operations when Wi-Fi not connected;
- Scan barcodes/QR codes for asset identification*;
- Interoperate with other Guardhat devices/wearables over Bluetooth*;
- Display work procedures/guided instructions and checklists for MRO, EAM, EWP use-cases*;
- Visualize events and current location on live map*;
- Digital forms*;
- Field-services solutions*.
“By offering these Smart Glasses, we are changing the industry,” said Indranil Choudhury, Chief Operating Officer at Guardhat. “These products showcase the innovation and industry growth that can come from the pressure of the pandemic.”
For more information about Guardhat and its health and safety solutions for connected workers, please visit the company’s website. For more information on Vuzix and its augmented reality smart glasses offerings, please click here.
*In Roadmap
Image credit: Guardhat / Vuzix
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About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.