About the Author
David Sims is a Solutions Sales Specialist at Dynabook Northern Europe.
According to IDC, global shipments of wearable devices will reach nearly 190 million units per year by 2022. When we think of wearable technology, we no longer associate it with just "wearable" technology. consumer space In fact, wearables within the company are now a controversial topic. However, despite growing interest, we still don't see technology take off in the business world.
To date, predictions of portable business applications have been unsuccessful and examples of Internet-connected devices do not have the mobility and security capabilities to support modern work environments.Despite this, there are examples of industries that have advanced in the integration of technology into their business computing, and organizations in sectors where apparel technologies have not yet been affected remain interested in discussing possible use cases.
For example, industries that rely heavily on frontline and field workers, such as logistics, manufacturing, warehousing, and healthcare, are increasingly adopting solutions such as smart reality glasses. assisted. Other sectors, perhaps more surprising, are also joining the discussion on the mobile phone. One of these industries is the emergency services sector. Police, fire and ambulance decision makers are beginning to understand how best to use these devices to enhance mobile workforce productivity, improve first responder safety, and enhance safety. The care given to patients.
Wearables on the front line
It is important to note here that these discussions are still in their infancy, but device manufacturers are seeing increasing interest in use case testing and experimentation. So how can wearables help first responders on the front line?
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Take the ambulance service as an example. Currently, paramedics mainly work in silos at hospitals. Existing systems mean that paramedics must manually record patient information before handing over a device or notes upon arrival at the hospital. This can cause a delay in the transmission of patient information from the scene of the accident to emergency teams waiting to continue treatment upon arrival of the patient. Paramedics can wear AR smart glasses to receive and send vital patient information without interrupting diagnosis and triage administration. Not only does this allow the physician to keep their hands free to focus on the patient, but the hospital staff is also better prepared when the patient joins them, improving both pre-existing care in-patient care and continuity of care.
Although paramedics are trained in various emergencies, some scenarios require specific skills and knowledge, which may be less common in the field than in hospitals. With the help of smart anti-stress glasses, paramedics can use Remote Expert capabilities to access medical knowledge, advice and information from hospital specialists via video conferencing and high-quality images.
(Image credit: Pixabay)
Portable devices also offer many benefits to other emergency service areas. For example, Internet-connected technologies in a firefighter's suit or helmet can provide important information both on the scene and on the scene, oxygen content, heart rate, and emergency temperature. firemen.
Challenges to overcome
We are currently about to see these use cases become a reality. However, as with all new technologies, some youth problems remain that must be resolved during the early stages of experimentation. The usability of the equipment should be considered, especially if it is light, robust and reliable enough to be used on the front line. There are also infrastructure, data management and security issues, and connectivity to deliberate. For example, how will this technology be managed? How will devices like AR smart glasses integrate with existing networks? Do the services have the infrastructure to effectively and securely manage the data generated by these devices? Or do they have access to good connectivity to make sure the technology works properly in the field?
The rise of 5G and edge computing is helping emergency services organizations solve these potential problems. Edge computing helps organizations solve some of these problems, while enabling new methods to collect, analyze, and redistribute data and derived information. On-board data processing reduces the load on the cloud, allowing users to be more selective about the data they send to the core of the network.
So what does the future look like for handheld devices in the emergency services industry? Although apparel technologies are still in their infancy in the Blue Light business, the technology is constantly evolving and those already testing apparel technology are discovering more and more potential use cases.
David Sims, Solutions Sales Specialist at Dynabook Northern Europe