Wearables and Internet of Things : Part IV

In the previous part of this series, we discussed about few of the use cases. This is the Forth Part of Wearables and Internet of Things Series. In this part, we have disccused about usage in production and logistics, field service.

Production and logistics

Due to its flexibility and sensorimotor capabilities, humans will remain an important part of production and logistics. This is precisely why this sector lends itself to realizing interfaces and concepts that support people in their daily work. These interfaces enable intervention in a virtual world of networked and intelligent objects. Possible applications in this sector are mobile RFID readers and head-mounted display.

Mobile RFID reader:

At the IoT / M2M Innovation World Cup 2015, a glove was awarded as the smartest glove for production in the Industry 4.0 category. The glove with the title “Pro Clove” is equipped with several sensors and should support the worker during his work. One of these sensors is an RFID scanner. Thanks to the integrated scanner, workpieces do not need to be extra scanned because the glove handles the process automatically. The Pro Clove also monitors and records all steps of the employee. As soon as the employee wants to process the wrong part, the glove vibrates and provides optical feedback on the integrated LED display. Another feature is the integration into other applications, for example, the Pro Clove can be connected to the security system to check the access authorization.

Data and sensors

• RFID sensor
• Motion Tracking
• Vibration motor
• LED light
• Wifi chip
• Evaluation

Currently there are no evaluations, as the wearable are yet available as pilot projects. Basically, however, would be the creation of employee profiles (who makes how many mistakes or measuring the working speed), for example, taking into account the personal data protection.

Head Mounted Display

Head Mounted Displays are used in logistics in the intuitive procurement of information and in the prevention of picking errors. Under pick-up-vision, a system was developed which displays information directly to the order picker. Furthermore, errors are detected during the picking process and corrected by the order picker.

Data and sensors

• 3 Axis gyro
• 3 axis accelerometer
• 3 Axis Mag / Integrated Compass
• 3-degree of freedom head tracking
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n
• Bluetooth 4.0

Evaluation In order to process the collected data or to provide information to the user, KBU-Logistik has developed a web-based app in cooperation with 28Apps. The app acts as a web browser and supports current technologies such as HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript.

Field service

Wearables in the field can be lifesavers. As an example, Forrester illustrates using the example of the Australian company Thiess. The provider of infrastructure and energy services sometimes sends its employees to regions where venomous snakes live. Wearables monitor workers’ body temperature and blood composition and report when there are health risks. As a manufacturer of wearables Amiigo the company also produce bracelets for the consumer sector, even data glasses analogous to Google Glass are conceivable. These data glasses could allow engineers or craftsmen to work freehand while at the same time having instructions and/or manuals visible. Work can be carried out faster and more safely, thus more efficiently overall, because the operator has both hands available. The data acquisition is covered by the sensors of the wearable. The sensors can detect bodily functions up to audiovisual sources. The computing and storage performance of wearables is due to the shrinkage of the components. More limited than that of small computers such as eg smartphones. Thus, the data is usually forwarded only and the wearable serves as a communicator between the real and the virtual world. The example of the Amiigo band, which is worn on the wrist. For example, biometric data such as heart rate, skin temperature, calories burned, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiratory rate are recorded. The data in turn are processed on an application that the manufacturer makes available for iOS or Android via the respective stores on a respective device and displayed visually.

The miniaturization allows ever smaller wearables and portables in the business sector. Depending on the application, although cable connections are conceivable, but this is primarily based on wireless connections.

Data and sensors

• GPS
• WPAN and WLAN
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• WiMAX
• ZigBee

Evaluation

The trend of miniaturization even affects radar systems. In May 2015, a new interactive sensor was announced by the Google Advance Technology and Progress (ATAP) group of Project Soli. This allows to record movements and gestures of the human hand and then interacts with other wearables and other IoT devices. The Infineon radar sensor operates at a 60 GHz frequency (5mm wavelength), and has a range of 0.05 – 5 m and a viewing angle of 180 degrees. The demonstration system uses 2×2 microstrip patch antennas; the board, incl. The antenna is less than 1×1 “big, small enough to be used for wearables.

Depending on the use of the wearables, the evaluation is done by the user on the wearable itself (example: Google Glass, displaying sales figures in a customer conversation or displaying an instruction manual) or on another device (example: smartphone, notebook).

Conclusion on Forth Part of Wearables and Internet of Things

The market for the Internet of Things is growing as well as the market for wearables. Even if certain business areas do not yet exist, they will be created through enabling. Due to the miniaturization, wearables are becoming ever smaller, but the computing power continues to increase. In the next part of this series, we will discuss some other use cases.