As wearables evolve into important tools in the ever-expanding Internet of Things landscape, mining companies are exploring the best technologies to streamline operations and enhance safety.
Data and analytics company GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Wearable Tech in Mining – Thematic Research’, explores how wearables will be “the next big” consumer technology.
Driven by a combination of technological progress and market demand, wearables in the mining industry have gained momentum, particularly those that enable workforce safety and injury prevention, real-time monitoring and inspection, and resource tracking.
The company highlights the adoption of workforce safety and injury-prevention- focused wearable technologies, with increasing importance being placed on minimising workplace injuries.
“Wearable technologies such as smart helmets can be employed to assess the health and wellbeing of workers,” GlobalData notes, citing the development of a smart helmet by US-based company Guard that features sensors that can detect workers’ safety in their immediate surroundings. “In case of critical issues, technicians require an expert’s help, but bringing experts from onshore offices to offshore mines increases the overall expenses and time for the inspection and repairing of equipment.”