What is Connected Worker?

Connected Worker Glossary Terms

What is Connected Worker? Here is a list of glossary terms where we define common terminology associated with Connected Worker and its technologies.

A

• Augmented reality: Mixing interactive digital elements with a device wearer’s real-world environment, projecting virtual overlays in a way that they appear real.
• Augmented work instructions: A way of authoring work instructions by filming a work process as it’s done and then delivering to an on-site worker through an augmented reality headset.

B

• Barcode scanners: An optical scanner and input device that captures, records, and translates barcodes into alphanumeric digits, then sends that information to a computer database.
• Beacons: Small wireless transmitters that use Bluetooth technology to serve information and content to the user’s location.
• Biometric data: A way to verify a person’s identity through their physical characteristics based on a set of recognizable and verifiable data. Examples include fingerprints, eye scans, voice recognition, etc.

C

• Connected displays: The remote presentation of instant, actionable data — such as asset/equipment sensor readings (IoT data), schematics, and historical trends — to workers and technicians in real time.
• Connected work: Integrated technologies and personalized communication tools that promote collaborative work between team members who are geographically dispersed.
• Connected worker: Field technicians who perform complex tasks which are monitored and supported by an IoT-based network of digital tools that connects them to corporate resources and real-time experts as needed
• Connected worker interfaces: Components of a connected worker solution, including IIoT platform, applications, content storage, beacons, smart technology, and sensor-equipped wearables.
• Connected worker platform/solution: A combination of hardware and software technologies used to connect frontline workers on-site and in remote locations to actionable data and resources. Communication is distributed through wearable devices, smartphones, and/or tablets for increased efficiency, productivity and safety while reducing operating expenses.
• Connective technologies: Also called smart technology, embedded technology comprised of sensors and processors that provide goods or services by catering to personal preferences.

D

• Data visualization: Graphical representation of information and data, such as charts, diagrams, and pictures, that gives insight into trends and patterns in data.
• DevOps: Practices that promote collaboration and integration among software development and IT operations to improve the speed and quality of software delivery.
• Digital transformation: The process of using new and fast digital technologies to increase efficiency and productivity in a business’s operations to meet market requirements and stay competitive.
• Digital workflow: A set of automated processes that accomplish electronic tasks related to business operations.
• Digital work instructions: Step-by-step information for performing field tasks, delivered virtually in a user-friendly format with visual information and action-oriented text for each phase in a work task. Instructions also collect data, both trend-able and textual for work completion and closeout.
• Distributed workforce: A workforce that extends beyond a traditional office/facility environment and is dispersed geographically over a wide area. Work is done by employees at the same organization, but they are separated by geographical locations.
• Document navigator: A solution that manages document-based procedures, allowing for easy discovery and download, for electronic workflows. With respect to maintenance, these documents are often part of a Computerized Maintenance Management System.

E

• Engineers: Trained technicians who use math and science to conduct research to solve technical problems in manufacturing, maintenance, or construction.
• Environmental data: The state of a physical or natural environment and/or measurement of environmental pressures and the impacts on ecosystems.
• Embedded PPE: Personal protective equipment that lives in safety harnesses or wearables and transmits real-time safety information back to the enterprise through cloud-based data transmission.

F

• Face shield: A curved plastic or Plexiglass shield to protect a worker’s face from flying objects or liquid/chemical splashes.
• Factory of the future: Enhancements in manufacturing production, plant structure, plant digitization, and plant processes to increase environmental sustainability, efficiency, productivity, machinery uptime, and value-add for customers.
• Frontline worker: An employee working in an essential service or key public service, typically in a physical, hands-on environment.

H

• Handheld scanners: A piece of equipment used to scan documents and other flat media to record information in a computing device.
• Hands-free devices: Electronic equipment that can be used without the use of hands mainly for safety or convenience.
• Heads-up display: A holographic display of information related to a piece of equipment that is projected in front of a user, allowing them to read and access information with their head positioned up and looking forward, instead of angled down.
• HMT-1: HMT stands for Head Mounted Tablet. It’s a hands-free, voice-operated, wearable Android computer for remote collaboration from RealWear.
• HMT-1Z1: HMT stands for Head Mounted Tablet. The 1Z1 edition is RealWear’s wearable option that is intrinsically safe (Class 1, Div. 1 certified), ideal for use in oil and gas operations or any hazardous environment.

I

• Industry 4.0: Current trend involving the transformation of traditional industrial practices by integrating and enhancing them with the latest smart technologies.
• Industrial IoT (IIOT): Interconnected sensors and devices networked together with computer industrial applications used for industrial purposes such as manufacturing, equipment health and performance, supply chain management, and systems management.
• Intelligent edge: Connected systems and devices that gather and analyze data close to the site where data is generated to deliver real-time insights.
• Intelligent IT: Information Technology Systems with technological advancements that interpret information and behavior to interact accordingly, such as dynamic networking, dynamic storage, dynamic compute, facial recognition programs, etc.
• Intrinsically safe: An electrical equipment rating for hazardous circumstances that indicates protection against ignition potentially from thermal or electrical energy.
• IoT devices: Interrelated computing devices, such as wireless sensors and software, which are attached to a main device, that transfer data over a network without requiring human interaction.

L

• Low-range RF: Designation for radio frequencies in the range of 30–300 kHz.

M

• Machine maintenance: Regularly schedule service, inspections and repairs (emergent or scheduled) that keep mechanical assets.
• Machine monitoring: A data collection process that tracks machinery health, activities, and performance for trending, forecasting, and improvement purposes.
• Machine status: Information about a machine’s operating state including in-progress work, completed tasks, and overall health to identify current status and troubleshoot potential issues.
• Mobile devices: A portable device used for computing, data collection, and communications that is small enough to hold, operate in the hand, or wear including a tablet, smartphone or head mounted tablet.

O

• On-machine terminals: Real-time machine-state dashboards that let operators log job and machine information, operate and adjust machine parameters, and track progression of machinery tasks.
• Operators: Skilled technicians who work with machinery to produce goods, orchestrate repairs, and monitor machinery production.

R

• RealWear: A manufacturer of hands-free industrial head-mounted wearable computers for connected worker platforms.
• RealWear foresight: Cloud services for RealWear devices that allow a company to install and update apps and manage security from a web portal.
• Refinery of the future: A modernized chemical plant with advanced IoT technologies that achieves new levels of innovation, productivity, efficiency, safety, asset management, and quality assurance automation These are designed to meet the increasing demands of oil and gas while adhering to environmental and safety requirements.
• Remote assist: Allows authorized personnel to connect to, view, and take control (interact with) of a user’s work environment for assistance purposes.
• Remote collaboration: Eliminating the limitations of workforce teams separated by geographical location by enabling employees to communicate over the internet via unified communications solutions.
• Remote guidance: Guidance or supervision issued through a connected device (wearable, smartphone, or tablet) from a distant location.
• Remote mentor: A coach or subject matter expert that provides guidance to a less experienced employee virtually via smartphone, tablet, or computer.

S

• Smart glasses: Wearable computer glasses that input information gathered by what the wearer sees and enables viewing of schematics and instructions.
• Smart sensors: A sensor built as an IoT component that performs specific functions when it is signaled by the appropriate input, such as motion, heat, touch, or sound.
• Sensors: A device or module that transforms physical phenomenon to an electrical signal that is often digitized and transmitted to a control or monitoring system.

V

• Visual assist: As an alternative to physical manuals or leaving the job site, workers obtain digital information through wearables, such as smart glasses, without impeding their physical view of the work environment.
• Virtual support: The virtual deployment of technicians on demand to support and resolve technical or mechanical issues.

W

• Wearable robotics: A wearable or suit with electronic devices that enables a robot to perform repairs or maintenance through the wearer’s action. This avoids placing human workers in dangerous environments.
• Wearables: Electronic smart devices that are worn by field technicians, used to detect and analyze digital and physical information and receive electronically distributed information and instructions.

#

• 5G: The fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks designed for extremely fast connection between people, machines, objects, and devices.