A New Era of Safety in Industry
Safety in industrial environments has always been important. Heavy machinery, hazardous chemicals, and of course, the realities of risk to human life and well-being mean that safety will always be a priority – and rightly so. Safety signage, manuals, and safety training programmes do their best in making each employee as safe as possible but they are limited in many ways.
This is where augmented reality as a means of enhancing industrial safety comes in and not just as a user interface on a smartphone or tablet, but as wearable augmented reality technology. Smart glasses, smart helmets, smart vests and smart gloves with augmented reality capabilities are ushering in an era of hands-free, real time safety solutions – literally, right in front of workers’ eyes.
In this article, we’ll take a look at how to augment augments using wearable augmented reality technology powered by augmented reality for industrial safety that is transforming workplaces into safer, smarter, and more responsive places of work.
What Is Wearable AR in Industrial Safety?
Wearable AR devices include smart glasses or helmets with AR outputs. Rather than looking down on a phone or paper, wearables provide workers access to critical data floating in their view while their hands are free to work. For example, with augmented reality for industrial safety, wearables will give real-time hazard alerts, visual safety procedures, and environmental conditions such as gas levels or temperatures for the worker on the lens.
With an uninterrupted flow of this critical information, workers will have fewer accidents and will react more rapidly to an unsafe scenario.
How Wearable AR Devices Work in Industrial Safety
Wearable augmented reality (AR) devices use sensors and cameras to scan the surrounding environment and equipment/machines that may be around the worker. The AR system captures and processes this information and superimposes safety warnings, instructions, or alerts in real-time.
For example, if a worker approaches a controlled area where hazardous chemicals are present, the AR glasses could show a flashing warning and highlight a safe transit path out of the area. In the event machines require maintenance, the device can present safety actions visually to accurately remind the worker to follow safety steps.
This is all done without stopping the worker or introducing an added tool—creating safety that is proactive, continuous, and part of the workflow.
Benefits of Wearable AR for Industrial Safety
1. Hands-Free Notification of Safety Alerts
Users receive immediate visible notifications that can be seen without stopping or looking away from their work.
2. Improved Focus and Awareness
With essential information literally in front of their faces, users can remain alert to dangers they might otherwise miss.
3. Real-Time Emergency Navigation
In the event of emergencies, wearables with AR technology can show users the best escape routes (or safety protocols) to help them avoid danger.
4. More Effective Training and Compliance
Users new to the workplace are taught safe working behaviours faster through AR step-by-step instructions while they perform the tasks.
5. Less Accidents and Injuries
By emphasizing safety at all times, a wearables approach with AR can help reduce workplace accidents.
Real-World Applications of Augmented Reality for Industrial Safety with Wearables
Many industries are already finding value from industrial safety from augmented reality, via wearable technology:
- Oil and Gas: Workers on the rigs use AR helmets that can warn them of gas leaks or restricted equipment zones.
- Construction: Smart glasses show unstable structures or restricted zones on the site.
- Manufacturing: AR wearables guide workers through safe machine operation and urgency disablement.
- Mining: Wearables can monitor air quality and proactively alarm on hazardous conditions below the surface This demonstrates how wearable AR is changing the landscape of industrial safety from simply reactive to predictive and interactive.
Challenges of Implementing Wearable AR for Industrial Safety
- Although wearable AR on the job faces issues just as any new tech does, industrial MPO’s must work on a few key parts
- Devices will need to be rugged and user-friendly for longer shifts.
- Workers will also need to undergo some training to develop trust and effective use-case of AR safety equipment.
- To incorporate AR systems into traditional safety infrastructure will also require consideration and planning.
- All these challenges present not only a barrier to entry, also a continuous growth opportunity for AR hardware and wearers alike.
The Future of Augmented Reality for Industrial Safety with Wearables
In the future, wearable AR devices will continue to get lighter, smarter, and more connected. It will also be fully connected to IoT and wearables, thus allowing predictive safety by looking for patterns and alerting a worker prior to the hazards occurring.
Imagine the future where your safety goggles know when fatigue starts to kick in or can identify unsafe movements and warn the worker as soon as it happens in order to avoid the accident.
This is not science fiction; this is the near future of augmented reality in industrial safety.
Why iotAR Is a Leader in Augmented Reality for Industrial Safety?
For industrial safety, iotAR provides practical augmented reality solutions in the real-world that supports workers.
iotAR’s platform supports wearable AR devices to provide robust safety information right at the site of the job. iotAR turns industrial environments into smart, interactive workplaces, helping organizations reduce accidents and build better teams.
If you’re ready to step into the future of industrial safety, iotAR’ s AR technology delivers a viable and powerful option to protect your workforce.
