Safety and efficiency are two primary trends in construction and this is driving the adoption of wearable tech, according to the latest survey data from GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s report, ‘Thematic Research: Wearable tech in Construction’, reveals that growth in the wearable tech industry will be driven by the utilization of many countries’ aging workforces in remote support roles for a younger generation of workers through AI and smart glasses technology
In addition, wearable exoskeletons will be also used as an aid for workers’ physical support during strenuous tasks where there is risk of injury.
The report says that the wearable tech industry was worth nearly $23bn in 2018 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19% to reach $54bn by 2023.
Wearables have the potential to transform the construction industry through the ability to improve safety and efficiency for workers. Safety is being spearheaded by innovations such as gyroscopes, emergency alerts, and tracking devices, while GPS-enabled wearables and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology are leading improvement in efficiency on construction sites.
Danny Richards, Lead Economist at GlobalData, commented: “Wearable tech, like the smart helmets developed by companies such as SmartCap Technologies, is helping to increase safety on construction sites. SmartCap measures workers’ fatigue levels and detects micro-sleeps, alerting them when they are in need of a break.”
Construction companies such as Triax Technologies and Scan-Link are leading innovation in wearables. Triax and ScanLink utilize geo-tagging through belt clips and safety jackets respectively, which convey vital information to job site managers.
Apple is the dominant player in the smartwatches segment, thanks to the success of the Apple Watch, and also holds a strong position in the hearables segment, where AirPods are the market leader. Other well-positioned players across wearable tech include Huawei, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi.