Wearables: Coming Soon to a Shop Floor Near You

This is an excerpt of the original article. It was written for the January-February 2016 edition of Supply Chain Management Review. The full article is available to current subscribers.

January-February 2016

It’s a new year. Most of us will have new budgets to meet and new expectations for the performance of our supply chains. Many will look to best practices from industry leaders to improve our operations. But, are best practices really the “best” way to go? As you think about 2016, I hope you ask the question: What better practices can I adopt for my supply chain?

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The next wave of manufacturing innovation will come from the Internet of Things. Indeed, connected networks of factory hardware are already enhancing process transparency and enabling previously untapped analytics in several plants. Wearable technologies have the opportunity to further improve operational efficiencies. Also known as wearables, the term refers to devices, often connected to the Internet or to other devices that are worn on the body and can be used to enhance communication to and from the users.

Wearables are likely to be adopted quickly, given the potential benefits in communication, productivity, and safety—and depending on the type of technology that’s employed. For example, communication can be improved through smart glasses or voice command devices. Step-by-step manufacturing instructions can be transmitted visually through smart glasses, while two-way audio headsets can give users real-time notifications pertinent to their activities on the floor.

Productivity increases from wearable voice command tools can increase factory warehouse efficiencies up to 30 percent, according to vendors of the technology. Other wearables can monitor health and stress levels of employees through fitness trackers, while GPS and beacon technology can easily locate employees and prevent them from entering a dangerous zone, such as machine cages and boilers.

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