Effectively managing complex operations, demanding maintenance, and repairs is challenging for the energy industry. The pandemic has added to our normal challenges. Due to the nature of the industry, geographically dispersed field workers operate in hazardous situations and require immediate support. Technical experts and customers, need to be physically on site to provide guidance and decisions. As companies move on from "old ways" of working, wearable computers present an opportunity to have an immediate impact on the workforce of those who implement them.

How Assisted Reality and Hands-free Wearables can Unlock More Productivity and Safety in Energy Transmission and Distribution Operations

Besides AR and VR, assisted reality wearables are quickly becoming the standard for boosting worker productivity. Assisted reality devices allow frontline workers who require both hands for their jobs to display the relevant information in their immediate field of view. Remote mentor video calling, essential document access and navigation, guided workflow, and industrial IoT data visualization are enabled through the worker's voice.

1. Reduce travel time and workplace accidents

Energy transmission and distribution technicians need to frequently travel to the jobsite to keep the operation running and error-free. A site visit not only costs the monetary cost of travel but also the precious work time of the worker, resulting in zero productivity for hours or even days. During the pandemic, travel is severely impacted by travel restrictions and health and safety orders, making site visits more costly than ever. 

With the high-resolution video, audio, and still pictures shared in real-time by assisted reality-enabled wearable computers, you and your in-house experts can virtually inspect, provide guidance, and solve problems at any remote site – without having to visit the site in person. According to RealWear, you can cut your travel costs in half by applying assisted reality to energy delivery operations. This will also benefit your workplace safety. With fewer people on hazardous worksites, workplace accidents can be greatly reduced

2. Boost productivity and efficiency

Assisted reality and wearable computers give workers immediate access to digital resources such as IoT data, manuals and schematics, work and safety procedures, and training materials. Workers can capture videos and images, complete checklists and forms, and even perform location-based tasks using GPS and cellular networks on their wearable computers. Assisted reality-enabled wearable computers are entirely based on voice operation, allowing workers to stay hands-free and focus on their tasks and increase productivity. From a research conducted by Iowa State University, the use of hands-free wearable computers provides a 32% increase in worker productivity

3. Reduce downtime from Faster Troubleshooting

Before hands-free wearables were introduced, the only ways of problem solving on energy transmission and distribution sites were to have experts on site or communicate with a heavy, intrinsically-safe computer. Resolving downtime was not only ineffective, but also posed significant risks to the site's operation. With the new AR wearables designed to be deployed in intrinsically safe environments, such as the world’s first intrinsically safe hands-free remote collaboration tool, RealWear HMT-1Z1, gives your experts the ability to visually assess the problem with accuracy and obtain real-time information from the frontline through via a front-facing smart camera for scientific decision-making, command and guidance to the field workers by the technicians or center experts. Situations that may have required hours or days to address are now being resolved in as little as a few minutes.

4. Enable remote mentoring and in-progress workflows

Labor shortages and the effects of the "Great Resignation" have created many unexpected staffing challenges in energy delivery operations. Training and development of new hires has become increasingly important as baby boomers continue to retire and take decades of knowledge with them. Experienced workers were being stretched thin, resulting in wider knowledge gaps for the new generation of workers. 

Give your less experienced field workers instant access to your top-tier expert resources. Assisted reality-enabled wearables overlay digital information to assist and guide energy delivery workers with tasks. Experience workers can capture and document workflows with AR software such as Vuforia AR Suite. On-the-job training through telestrating and AR workflow can cut training time by 30–50% with on-the-job knowledge transfer through AR procedure guidance. 

Vuforia Studio provides the ability to quickly and easily create assisted reality experiences for RealWear Navigator 500. Now, content creators can leverage Vuforia Studio’s visual drag and drop authoring environment, with built-in support for voice navigation, to quickly create 2D interactions, without any programming skills required. Your existing documentation, videos, workflow diagrams, and process plans can now be consumed hands-free!

Streamline Energy Transmission and Distribution Operations with Assisted Reality Wearables

Assisted reality devices can be used in a variety of industrial or facility tasks to streamline energy  delivery operations. Fully optimized for hands-free use, the RealWear Navigator 500 is an assisted reality powered, hands-free wearable tablet offering the next-gen industrial strength solution.


When operating in a hazardous environment, RealWear HMT-1Z1, the world’s first Zone 1 intrinsically safe hands-free industrial wearable complies with your safety requirements.

RealWear Navigator 500

RealWear Navigator 500

The Next-Gen Industrial Strength Solution

RealWear HMT 1z1

RealWear HMT-1Z1

The World's Only Intrinsically Safe Hands-free Remote Collaboration Tool

A Look of Assisted Reality Wearables in Energy Transmission and Distribution Operations 

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Applied Precision 3D can support your digitization with our 20+ years of experience of digitizing parts, places and processes. Our expertise, combined with portable and extremely versatile metrology technology, help push your endeavor to the finish line. Talk to us today!

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