|
Wearable Industry
Industry Today:
Wearable products allow users to be mobile whether
they work in an industrial environment like a
manufacturing facility, a warehouse, in logistics
and transportation environment, or in a retail
location. Since mobility enhances productivity, the
needs for these wearable products are increasing.
 A
wearable product could be a product like a scanner
or a mobile computer with a hand strap or a wrist
strap, and the accessory could be a
holster or an
operating (OP) case with a waist belt or a
shoulder strap. An OP Case is a form fitting case
that allows the use of a scanner or mobile computer
without being removed from the case. A holster is
normally carried on the waist, and the scanner or
mobile computer is removed from it while in use.
The products used in industrial applications tend to
have more applications so these products tend to be
more rugged, weigh a little more, and look
industrial. Conversely, the scanners and computers
used in retail environments tend to be smaller,
weigh less than their industrial counterparts, and
are more like consumer products.
Products differ somewhat depending on the user
environment. For example, a heavier duty material
would be used for industrial applications for more
durability. Whereas in retail applications,
materials used are lighter duty for a more stylish
look.
Holsters and
OP
Cases are normally made of durable materials
like Cordura or ballistic nylon and are designed to
store and facilitate carrying of products. These
products are usually padded for protection against
bumps and short drops. Attachments like shoulder
straps and waist belts are normally made of durable
materials like polypropylene or nylon. These
holsters and OP cases facilitate scanners and
computers to be used on the person.
There are also products which consist of a scanner
worn on operator’s fingers and a wrist computer worn
on the forearm. The computer is mounted on a wrist
mount which is equipped with adjustable straps.
These detachable mounts work well for right as well
as left-handed operators.
Trends:
There are more opportunities for scanner and mobile
computers in retail and service industries with
emphasis on complete solutions. For example, the
ability to record a transaction and print a receipt
from one wearable package. The wearable is a key
integral part in a total solution.
Also there are more offerings of products which are
not tethered. This is another opportunity for more
wearable products.
There are also applications which require wearable
solutions for better results, such as, insulated
cases for freezer applications, ruggedized cases for
voice applications, washable products for hospital
applications, etc.
Here is a link to an interesting article on wearable
products:
http://www.media.mit.edu/wearables/lizzy/FAQ/FAQ.txt
Future:
We
are seeing a big growth in RFID applications mainly
fueled by Walmart & DOD mandating RFID labels on
incoming shipments. As a result, we see a big
growth in wearable products to support the
increasing demand.
The trend is towards smaller, lighter and more
powerful devices. Also new product releases are
becoming more frequently available. This will
continue to require new wearable products for
mobility. We see a very bright future in the
wearable industry.
Shop online to view all our
wearables and all
our accessories from our DataWear product line.
|
