Information Management: Wearables come in for a refit

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Technology in the News Supply Chain Managers Ready Themselves for New Ocean Cargo Carrier Alliances Information Management: Wearables come in for a refit INTTRA acquires Avantida to enhance intermodal container moves Ocean cargo carriers must ramp up collaboration with terminals to ensure recovery Genpro acquires Cargo Chief’s logistics and transportation services division More Technology News Transforming Supply Chains into True Global Trade Networks Available On-Demand. Watch Now. All Resources Providers of data collection hardware say the more purpose-built wearables of the past have evolved through capabilities including touchscreens and increased use of the Android operating system (OS) to become more flexible, capable devices. Today’s wearables are rugged mobile computers that can drive multiple modes of data collection and interaction. At the same time, new forms of wearables such as smart glasses and smart watches are starting to see use. Wearables can make workers involved in tasks like picking , replenishment and packing more productive because they don’t interrupt workflows to the same extent they would if they had to fully manipulate a handheld. “The fundamental attraction for wearables in industrial settings is that people can work in more of a hands-free and heads-up manner with better access to information as they carry out their work,” says Ryan Martin , senior analyst at ABI Research . “That hands-free nature of wearables leads to productivity gains and can help accuracy, especially versus more manual processes like using paper pick lists.” ABI estimates that uptake for enterprise wearables will grow at a 35% compound annual rate through 2021 to reach 151 million units shipped that year. That’s up from about 35 million units shipped in 2016. This includes a range of devices: wearable mobile computers, ring scanners, smart glasses, smart watches and also specialized wearables for medical monitoring. ABI expects warehousing and […]