Underground safety, efficiency increases with AR

One of the world’s leading metals and mining companies has equipped team members with wearable display tech.

Why? Because Rio Tinto places an emphasis on two factors:

1. Worker safety
2. Site efficiency

And Smart Glasses are developing a reputation for helping in both categories.

Among the world’s largest known deposits of copper and gold, the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia will now be run with the power of hands-free Smart Glasses.

READ: Could the insurance industry be flipped upside-down by Smart Glasses?

How Smart Glasses improve mining operations:

Goodbye, distractions

On-site personnel no longer need to take their eyes off the prize. Task updates are instantly broadcast over their display, offering a vast improvement to smartphones and tablets...which may cause crew members to lose track of environmental hazards.

Instant, hands-free help

Forget about flying in the experts. Even underground, miners can stream their first-person view to off-site team members. Engineers and technicians from all over the world can instantly be looped into complex tasks. Since on-site workers don’t need to hold up a camera to stream problems, experts can walk even the greenest technicians through repairs.

Speakeasy

Users can access most device features with their voice. Commands involve calling fellow team members, summoning task instructions and even setting cameras to ‘record.’

Site inspections

Across the world, site managers increasingly rely on drones and mine pit cameras for visual inspections. Views from these devices can be displayed in Smart Glasses displays, making it easier for operators to conduct surveys.

Personnel across industries are becoming more efficient with Vuzix Smart Glasses.

Image credit: International Mining

Next-gen mining

Just as smartphones are a logical improvement over bulky desktop computers, Smart Glasses represent a natural evolution in the enterprise world.

Rio Tinto has mitigated the financial impact of physical distancing measures with the hands-free devices.

More importantly, they’ve increased the safety of team members, giving them greater situational awareness as they work in hazardous environments.

Read the full press release here.

“Vuzix” is a registered trademark of Vuzix Corporation

“Rio Tinto” is a registered trademark of Rio Tinto Ventures