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RealWear has launched its initial hands-free, voice-controlled thermal camera. Its module connects with RealWear Navigator Series headsets that includes radiometric FLIR Lepton and supports MSX technology. The technology enables frontline industrial professionals to conduct inspections, enhance remote support sessions and avoid equipment downtime using simple voice commands.

“RealWear Navigator head-mounted devices, with its revolutionary modular design, continues to gain support with Global 1000 companies as the new gold standard in assisted reality. The compelling option to add thermal image capture without occupying your hands in hazardous environments gives frontline professionals more real-time information to do their jobs safely and productively,” says Rama Oruganti, chief product officer at RealWear. “By combining Teledyne FLIR’s thermal expertise with RealWear’s voice-driven wearables through its Thermal by FLIR program, we’re creating a digital tool with extended capabilities for the modern frontline worker.”

“As a XR wearable evangelist for Honda, the idea of leveraging the modular design of RealWear Navigator 500 is a no-brainer,” says Greg Cooper, innovation engineer, manufacturing, American Honda Motor Company. “A fully hands-free thermal camera will give our technicians another superpower to get the job done fast. For example, a hands-free fully voice-controlled thermal enables us to immediately show what we’re doing to address airlocks and ventilation leaks to the reliability team to give them the confidence that our engines and systems are reliable and meet our high-quality standards.”

Imagery is viewable in real time and will in the future have the ability to be shared via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex Expert on Demand, among others. Compatible with Teledyne FLIR’s ecosystem, the special radiometric JPEG format images can be stored, transmitted, and downloaded for use within the FLIR Thermal Studio post-processing software for greater analysis and reporting options.

“Thermal imaging is critical to assembly, effective condition monitoring and predictive maintenance programs,” says Dan Jarvis, sr. director business development Teledyne FLIR. “RealWear Navigator 500 is the only hands-free system to currently incorporate the FLIR Lepton and patented MSX technology, which overlays the live edge detail from the visible camera on the thermal image to provide critical information.”

Key use cases of RealWear Navigator with thermal include electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC inspections along with initial installation readiness, process monitoring or line monitoring where a connected hands-free device adds flexibility, safety, and overall efficiency for optimum plant production such as automotive assembly line processes.

“Our long-term vision of assisted intelligence takes shape when you start connecting new captured data like thermal imaging into the cloud and beyond,” continues Oruganti. “Industrial wearables have a huge role to
play going forward in industry 4.0, and we’re proud to be a part of the global movement.”

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