Downtime is often frowned upon in the business world. When the downtime is unplanned downtime, businesses raise the alarm bells. Why?
According to research by Kimberlite, as noted in a GE perspective paper, even a relatively modest amount of unplanned downtime, such as 3.65 downtime days per year, can inflict substantial financial losses, amounting to $5.037 million annually for organizations. For offshore oil and gas companies, the situation is even more critical, with an average of just over 27 days of unplanned downtime each year resulting in staggering financial impacts of $38 million.
These statistics underscore the crucial importance of minimizing unplanned downtime in industrial settings, as the costs associated with it can be prohibitively high and detrimental to a company's bottom line.
The repercussions of unplanned downtime extend beyond the financial realm, affecting the workforce as well. Workers tasked with swiftly restoring equipment to operational status face a myriad of challenges. The need to work extended hours and often under high-stress conditions can take a toll on employees' physical and mental well-being. Additionally, adverse weather conditions, frequently encountered in offshore environments, further compound the difficulties workers face. Communication issues, which can arise due to the urgency of the situation or the remote locations of the operations, can hamper coordination efforts and exacerbate the challenges of resolving downtime issues promptly.
It’s because of these challenges that there is a need for organizations to adopt proactive strategies and digital solutions to minimize unplanned downtime, not only to protect their financial stability but also to ensure the safety and well-being of their workforce.
RealWear has a solution with its latest Intrinsically Safe, or IS, headset, the RealWear Navigator Z1. Catering to sectors such as oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and mining, this innovative IS wearable solution empowers workers by liberating their hands for more intelligent, safer and efficient operations.
The RealWear Navigator Z1 is tailored for diverse applications, encompassing remote expert-guided equipment troubleshooting, virtual training, field service management and streamlined inspection data management systems. When paired with dedicated software, the RealWear Navigator Z1 unlocks new dimensions of hands-free functionality, including:
- Remote expert guidance and training: This feature facilitates real-time maintenance and repair by remote experts, potentially minimizing travel expenses and downtime. It seamlessly integrates with apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
- Field Services Management: Workers can effortlessly engage FSM enterprise AI systems through voice commands. This integration, in collaboration with RealWear and OverIT hands-free solutions, streamlines work orders, asset maintenance and reduces operational costs.
- Equipment and site inspection rounds: Inspectors can navigate safely within job sites, capture high-quality photos and dictate notes using field data collection components of IDMS solutions like RealWear and HUVR. This data is promptly uploaded and geocoded, enhancing integrity verification, auditing, compliance, and enabling automation, 3D digital twins and AI.
The RealWear Navigator Z1 also boasts over 20 major technical enhancements, including the introduction of RealWear's formidable AI Core processor, improved comfort and durability, high-resolution front-facing camera, extended temperature range, noise cancellation, faster connectivity options, a thermal camera module for issue detection and a removable snag-free battery, all while running on Enterprise Secure Android 12.
“With the launch of RealWear Navigator Z1, we’re offering the smartest and lightest IS wearable with integrated battery available to frontline workers who work in some of the most challenging sites on earth,” said Chris Parkinson, co-founder and CEO of RealWear. “In addition to the extensive range of upgrades, we’re especially keen to introduce AI Core and 5G IS connectivity to create a new frontier of smart, connected wearable solutions for frontline workers.”
Additionally, the RealWear Navigator Z1 is utilizing the Qualcomm 6490 chipset, and RealWear offers early access of the new headset to its global developer community. This release sets a new standard in wearable technology, particularly designed to enhance frontline worker productivity, safety and efficiency across multiple industries.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
