We Won The Auggie Award for Best Headworn Device!
Form Follows Function with the HMT-1 Connected Worker Solution
What Our Auggie Award Means For Connected Workers and the Future of Industrial Wearables
In a world filled with Virtual Reality products and Augmented Reality solutions, Augmented World Expo stands out for its thought leadership and vision.
And within AWE, the 2019 Auggie Awards recognized pioneers in 11 different aspects of VR and AR.
“The annual Auggie Awards have been the most recognized industry AR & VR awards show in the world since 2010. Now in its 10th year, the Auggies continue to showcase the best of the best in augmented and virtual reality.”
On May 30th 2019, RealWear HMT-1® received the Auggie Award for Best Headworn Device.
What does this mean for connected workers around the world? And how will this shape the future of industrial wearables?
There’s a Good Reason We’re Not Like Anyone Else
Form follows function.
When we first designed HMT-1, we knew it would look different compared to other AR / VR devices. That’s because it has a different purpose.
- We wanted to make it easy for industrial workers to wear it all day long. That meant it needed to be lightweight, but still have enough battery power to last a full shift.
- If had to be rugged. Even if you drop HMT-1 onto concrete from a height of 2 meters, you can just brush it off and continue with your day.
- We built it to IP66 specifications, which makes HMT-1 water-proof and dust-proof.
All of these innovations contributed to our 2019 Auggie Award for Best Headworn Device. But like many of the important things in life, it’s what’s inside that counts the most.
Say What You See
Industrial workers are always working with their hands. From climbing ladders to adjusting dials, anything that gets in the way of their work will block their productivity. And in many cases, having their hands full can threaten their safety.
That’s why we built the HMT-1 to be completely hands-free. Once you learn a few simple voice commands, you can access everything you need for your job, no matter where you work. Just Say What You See.
Watch this quick video to see what we mean:
HMT-1 responds to voice commands with 98% accuracy even when ambient noise reaches 95 dB. Many frontline workers encounter conditions like this on a regular basis:
- Wind turbine technician making repairs 100 meters off the ground, with gusts reaching 30 mph
- Water treatment plant operator who needs to evaluate equipment during a thunderstorm
- Factory worker adjusting gauges on a large piece of noisy machinery
Say What You See technology can increase worker safety and productivity by freeing their hands. When you can access any piece of information with just a few short voice commands, you can stay focused on your work.
In a World of Binocular AR / VR Devices, How Did We Win the Auggie Award?
Many of the AR / VR headsets at Augmented World Expo are designed to deliver a fully immersive experience, which means many of them are binocular devices.
Indeed, all finalists for Best Headworn Device in the 2019 Auggie Awards were binocular devices, except for one.
That’s no accident. HMT-1 is a monocular device whose screen mimics a 7-inch tablet held at arm’s length. Along with its rugged design and Say What You See technology, this is another example of form following function.
We understand the needs of industrial workers, and we realized that a fully immersive solution would reduce their situational awareness. If an AR or VR device prevents a worker from recognizing threats to their safety, then that device is putting them at risk.
HMT-1’s monocular viewscreen – along with its lightweight construction – make it both unobtrusive and highly functional for industrial workers.
Why did RealWear HMT-1 win Best Headworn Device at the Auggie Awards?
Because out of all the devices at Augmented World Expo, HMT-1 was the one that achieved the best union of form and function.