HARDI deploys RealWear Smart Glasses to provide remote assistance for farmers

In General XR News

March 21, 2024 – RealWear, a provider of smart glasses for frontline workers, has recently announced that HARDI International A/S, a manufacturer of advanced agricultural machinery, has deployed RealWear Navigator 520 smart glasses and an after sales concept from Innomize to offer its customers real-time remote technical support.

HARDI exports its offerings to farmers in over 100 countries and has a workforce of approximately 600 employees across the globe, with subsidiaries and production units spanning most continents. The company’s highly-advanced agricultural machinery operates in harsh environments, and any maintenance outside of scheduled servicing is occasionally required, according to RealWear.

On occasions where unforeseen challenges arise, the expertise of a technical service professional from HARDI is required. Previously, these service professionals would have to physically travel to the location and resolve issues, incurring additional costs and downtime for customers.

With increased downtime potentially causing significant impacts to farmers and the weather-dependent agriculture industry, HARDI wanted to limit this downtime for customers as much as possible. As a result, the company looked at various smart glasses to create a new workflow process where issues could be resolved remotely. Working with RealWear Gold Partner, Innomize, HARDI selected the RealWear Navigator 520.

Now, when assistance is required, on-site technicians wearing a RealWear Navigator 520 can connect remotely with a HARDI expert to view what the technician is seeing in real-time through video streaming. This enables experts to guide on-site technicians visually to solve the problem which is identified faster, and reduces downtime and intervention costs.

“We have deployed several RealWear devices to date in our initial phase of our global rollout”, commented Mads Ulrik Petersen, Aftermarket Manager at HARDI. “While we have used smart glasses internally in our technical service operations since 2021, we are now transitioning into a more commercial phase. HARDI now offers this solution to farmers and dealers allowing them to purchase the technology and receive faster technical support.”

The RealWear Navigator 520s being used by HARDI feature Remote Eye from Wideum, a remote video assistance software used in smart glasses. It enables both the technician and the expert to communicate hands-free. The software also incorporates an AI translator for multilingual communication, allowing users to speak in their native language, which then gets translated into another language in real-time.

“HARDI’s deployment of RealWear smart glasses sets a benchmark for the agricultural industry and showcases the technology’s potential impact on businesses operating in diverse and international settings. Overcoming language barriers is a pivotal aspect, especially when dealing with customers across multiple territories. It’s a challenge that, when tackled effectively, can significantly enhance global operations,” added Helle Rosenberg, Business Development Specialist at Innomize.

Looking to the future, Petersen added: “Investing in our large and intricate machines is a significant commitment for farmers, given the substantial financial outlay. These machines are packed to the brim with electronics, and any disruption to these components can render the entire machine inoperable. As part of our strategy, we are planning to integrate RealWear smart glasses into every sale of certain models in our assortment.”

For more information on RealWear and its smart glasses and remote assistance solutions, please visit the company’s website.

Image credit: RealWear / HARDI