Technology for the modern workforce makes for hands-free frontline professionals

Doing more with less is often a big ask of frontline professionals. In this case, however, doing more with one less tool on a jobsite and still having both hands free is a good thing.

RealWear, the leading provider of assisted reality wearable headsets, removes clumsy and distracting handheld devices from the modern frontline construction and industrial workforce so they can perform their tasks more safely and efficiently.

Real-time access to and entry of information is crucial to frontline professionals, from auto mechanics to jobsite construction teams. This is easily accomplished with RealWear technology, which helps workers keep both hands free and their field of view focused for work, not fumbling with a tablet or phone.

RealWear is a new technology partner featured at the Oracle Industry Lab. The RealWear platform integrates with the mobile applications of Oracle Primavera Cloud, Oracle Primavera Unifier and Oracle Aconex, all part of the Oracle Smart Construction Platform. The partnership ensures the Smart Construction Platform mobile application and RealWear compatibility is in place and will continue to be so.

“Oracle is one of the top technology brands in the world. Bringing RealWear into the fold of Oracle and combining these great technologies in a solution is what RealWear is all about,” says Aaron Cohen, senior director global marketing and communications at Vancouver, Washington-based RealWear. “Leveraging Oracle’s scale and outstanding software quality and marrying that with RealWear's gold standard hardware device is the way we want to go to market. We're focused on solutions, and we need best-in-class software. The Oracle Smart Construction Platform is laser-focused on construction and engineering. That's where those integrations really make sense.”

A hands-free workforce thanks to assisted reality

There was a lot of hype five years ago when the idea of augmented reality hit the market. Companies bought the devices and were confused or ultimately disappointed with the lack of practical uses and ended up shelving them. RealWear now is utilizing a version of augmented reality it calls assisted reality—in essence, a dashboard for your head. Workers receive and enter the information they need but maintain full visual and auditory situational awareness of what's going on around them.

With RealWear the reception was significant, and the utilization continues to grow as an important tool in everything from HVAC maintenance and repair, oil and gas field services to jobsite inspections of new smart cities, including working together on some of the largest construction programs in the world.

“RealWear provides a unique hands-free experience for running Oracle Primavera Unifier that provides a workflow-driven Inspection Test Plan with scheduled tasks for field inspectors,” says Sherief Elabd, Oracle Construction and Engineering director of industry strategy. “You can select, follow, and action on inspection steps with voice commands.”

Examining use cases

Here are two use cases integrating Oracle Primavera Unifier and Oracle Aconex into RealWear: 

For material management—for example, registering materials delivered to a jobsite into inventory—scanning barcodes and QR codes into Primavera Unifier through RealWear makes counting pallets and unpacking crates easier, faster, and safer since both hands are free.

For capturing images and video—for example, a rooftop is damaged from high winds—a field professional can capture footage of the damage while holding onto a ladder to access the damaged roof. Using voice commands with RealWear, a Field Issue can be safely created hands-free directly in Oracle Aconex, saving time and hassle while speeding the process.

Frontline professionals currently must hold and balance a phone if they need remote help. Calls can be hard to hear on a jobsite, and screens are hard to read in daylight. There also are safety issues with workers looking down at their device or plugging in headphones with dangling wires. RealWear provides a hands-free solution with the tools and resources attached to the device.

Voice activated for frontline worker safety in high noise environments

The device fits most head sizes or can be attached to a hardhat. There is a high-resolution camera and flashlight for low-light situations that produce crystal-clear photos and video.

An onboard display shows a dashboard at a glance, giving users access to the information they need while providing full situational awareness to keep them safe.

Multiple microphones understand voice commands in 23 languages and in environments up to 100 dBa with robust noise cancellation. “You're working with simple, easy to understand voice commands that help you get the job done quicker and more safely,” says Greg Bartholomew, director of product marketing at RealWear.

It’s built for safety, with a lightweight yet rugged design, optional protective hearing earbuds, and a hot-swappable battery that lasts a full shift without the need for wires.

"The future of jobsite mobility sits with hands-free devices,” says Frank Malangone, executive director, industry strategy and innovation, Oracle Construction and Engineering. “We're really excited to showcase the Oracle Smart Construction Platform mobile apps running on RealWear at our innovation labs.”