Field service leaders are giving wearable technology like smart glasses a close look — and for good reason. These mobile devices have practical uses in the field, from hands-free troubleshooting to collaboration with other technicians. Gartner estimates that smart glasses will save the field service industry $1 billion per year by 2017.
There’s excitement among executives and techs alike, though most aren’t sure exactly how to use the devices. Aberdeen’s latest report on service mobility found that 20 percent of service organizations are interested in adopting wearable technology during the next year, but only 6 percent currently use the technology.
The uninitiated can look to Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, for advice. The company recently equipped its field techs with smart glasses — and it’s not Google Glass. Instead, the organization chose Epson’s Moverio BT-200 smart glasses that run a field service application made by FieldBit, another Israeli company. Mekorot’s technicians who work on high-voltage equipment at pumping stations and other facilities will use the devices to get assistance and repair information beamed directly directly to their eyes.
(Read more at Times of Israel)
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