18 Jul Convention 2023 Reflection: Championing the Adoption of New Technology

Championing the Adoption of New Technology

The last couple of years have brought into sharp focus the many benefits of technology. For example, when outside people were not allowed inside a facility during COVID, technology offered the ability to be responsive by providing expertise while maintaining the safety of workers inside the facility.

When employees seek better work-life balance, technology allows for troubleshooting without driving long distances or boarding a plane. Without technology, hours can be lost on what could be a simple problem that doesn’t necessitate a technician on-site. These situations demonstrate some of the many live-and-learn scenarios that have pushed bakery equipment suppliers to think differently about how and where they use technology.

Reviewing RealWear

During Convention 2023, members of the Baking Industry Forum shared their findings of RealWear, a hands-free, head-mounted wearable device. RealWear allows others to see what the person on-site is observing through the use of remote expert guidance, digital workflow, visual assist and industrial Internet of Things (IoT) data. Similar to a tablet, the technology can be easily secured and brought online by in-house IT.

Described by some as “FaceTime on steroids,” the product uses the familiar Microsoft Teams application, allowing the wearer to share what’s happening in real time through a Teams meeting. Noise-cancelling capabilities can also make it easier to share findings within a noisy plant environment and RealWear can be easily worn with safety gear.

Multi-Use Applications

RealWear commands are voice activated and include the ability to take high-quality video and photos, scan QR codes, access user manuals and training materials and connect to Wi-Fi and cellular, as needed. The application can also be used for troubleshooting, coaching, training and education. But the introduction of new technology will always require in-house champions within the organization. Otherwise, without the right support, even great technology can be left sitting on the shelf.

Interested in learning more about RealWear and experiences more use-case demonstrations?  Be at NEXUS in September where the Baking Industry Forum will continue the conversation.

Thank you to BIF for presenting and our session sponsor, JLS.