2020 Tech Roadmap: Industrial Wearables

Kel Udeala

Kel Udeala

Steve Bolton

Steve Bolton

13 Jan, 2020

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Executive Summary

EHS managers responsible for selecting technologies to support processes, systems and programmatic objectives should use this report to identify wearable devices (also known as “industrial wearables” or “wearables”) that can help protect their workers and add value to their operations. Verdantix conducted a fact-based assessment of industrial wearables that provide EHS use case functionality, while excluding wearables that are designed primarily for operational excellence. This report outlines the business value, pace of innovation and maturity for 15 industrial wearable technologies: active exoskeletons; active noise control wearables; ergonomic monitors; fall detection wearables; gesture control wearables; hazardous environment monitors; location tracking wearables; lone worker communication wearables; passive exoskeletons; proximity warning and geofencing technology; remote content; safe driving wearables; vibration monitors; vital sign monitoring wearables; and worker distress call technology.
Tech Roadmap Analysis As A Tool For Corporate Managers And Vendors 
Key Questions Addressed By Tech Roadmap Analysis
Tech Roadmap Analysis Aligns With Regulatory Compliance, Safety And Risk
Tech Roadmap For Industrial Wearables
Tech Roadmap Methodology
Five Market Phases Of Technology Maturity
Three Technology Life Cycles Differentiate Business Value
Technology Adoption And Market Success Influence Positioning
Pace of Innovation Determines Time To Next Life Cycle Phase
How To Use Tech Roadmap Analysis To Manage Technology Portfolios 

Industrial Wearables In Phase 1: Research And Development
1.1 Gesture Control 
1.2 Active Noise Control 

Industrial Wearables In Phase 2: Launch
2.1 Active Exoskeletons
2.2 Passive Exoskeletons 
2.3 Safe Driving
2.4 Remote Content 
2.5 Vital Sign Monitoring
2.6 Ergonomic Monitoring
2.7 Fall Detection
2.8 Proximity Warning & Geofencing 

Industrial Wearables In Phase 3: Growth
3.1 Worker Distress Call
3.2 Location Tracking
3.3 Lone Worker Communication
3.4 Vibration Monitoring
3.5 Hazardous Environment Monitoring
Figure 1. EHS Tech Roadmap Technology Solution Groupings
Figure 2. Tech Roadmap For Industrial Wearables 
20 Knots Plus, Acumentive, Againer, AiQ, Airsweb, Ambarella, American Society of Safety Professionals, Apple, Atheer, Atoun, BAE Systems, BionicPower, Bionics, Bioservo, Blackline Safety, Blue Vision, BlueUp, BMW, Bosch, British Safety Council, Brunel University London, B-Temia, Casella, Caterpillar, CDC, Cirrus Research, Comau, Crunchfish, Curotec, Cyberdyne, Daimler AG, DAQRI, Deloitte, dorsaVi, EERS, Ekso , Eleksen, Elliptic Labs, Equivital, European Union, Exhauss, ExoAtlet, Extronics, Eyesight Technologies, FallCall, Fatigue Science, FDA, Fitbit, Focals by North (formerly Thalmic Labs), Ford, Fourier Intelligence, Fujitsu, Garmin, Gensuite, GestureTek, Gogoa, Google, Guardhat, Guardian24, HAVSco, Hexoskin, Honda, Honeywell, HSE, Humantech, Hyundai, IBK Construction, Industrial Scientific, Innophys, Intellinium, Japet, Kenzen, Laevo, Larson Davis, Leap Motion, Lettire Construction, Levitate Technologies, Libre Stream, Lockheed Martin, Logical Safety, Lone Worker Solutions, LONEALERT, M3SH, ManoMotion, Microchip Technology, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Modjoul, Nissan, Noonee, Nuheara, Obey Proximity, ODG, Optalert, Orbis, OSHA, Proxipi, Proxitron, Pulsar Instruments, RB3D, Reactec, Realwear, ReWalk, Rex Bionics, Romware, Samsung, Sarcos Robotics, Scott Safety, Send For Help Group, Sensear, Sensoryx, Silentium, Skyguard, SmartCap, SolePower, SolusGuard, Sonobex, Spec Sensors, Starkey Hearing Technologies, StaySafe, StrongArm Technologies, SuitX, Svantek, Tended, Tesla, Teslasuit, Toyota, TracLogik, Triax Technologies, Ubiquicom, Ultrahaptics, Ultraleap, United States Bureau Of Economic Analysis, United States Bureau Of Labour Statistics, Upright Go, Upskill, Vault Intelligence, VelocityEHS, Veolia, Vigo Technologies, Viridor, Volkswagen, Waverly Labs, Wearable Robotics Association, XOi Technologies

About the Authors

Bill Pennington

Bill Pennington

VP Research

Bill is VP Research at Verdantix, where he leads analysis on the evolving and interconnected landscapes of EHS, quality, AI and enterprise risk management. His research helps ...

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Kel Udeala

Kel Udeala

Industry Analyst

Kel is an Industry Analyst at Verdantix. His current agenda focuses on EHS, Industrial Hygiene and Occupational health software. He has a background in oil and  gas, rene...

Steve Bolton

Steve Bolton

Research Director

Steve leads the Verdantix EHS research practice, based out of our New York office. He has 25 years of experience advising on sustainability, EHS, circular economy, corporate s...

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