Motion Metrics has established a partnership with Vandrico Solutions Inc to develop smartglass applications for mining. “Technology analysts are predicting 2014 will be the year of the wearable device – primarily watches and glasses, although there are already smart rings and gloves coming into the market too. But most of those devices – and the apps developed for them – are consumer-focused. Vandrico is concentrating strictly on workplace applications.”

Motion Metrics solutions are already installed in mines around the world, and wearable solutions can save costs on lost mobile devices. “We have a customer, they lost three in one morning. We are saving the mine millions of dollars” said Shahram Tafazoli, President and CEO of Motion Metrics, who added that he has been considering expanding Motion Metrics’ range of products into smart wearable devices for years. “I was already interested to bring a wearable component to our products,” he said. “I have been following it for a couple of years now. When I learned about Vandrico, and the fact they are focusing on bringing it to the workplace, I really liked the story.”

By integrating Motion Metrics solutions with wearable technology, it can change the way a mine can be managed. “Currently, operators receive data on display screens, and supervisors have access to mine site analytics via desktops and iPads. But there are advantages to putting all that information in a heads-up display (HUD) that can be worn at all times by foremen and supervisors.” The possibilities for wearable technology are rapidly expanding as seen in Vancouver-based, Recon Instruments’ Recon Jet HUD system and Google’s Google Glass.