Important considerations when selecting headworn devices for your field service engineers

Mar 26, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation

As part of our ongoing series of interviews in the Field Service News Digital Symposium Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News spoke with Dr. Chris Parkinson,, CTO and Founder, Realwear, about the important considerations field service companies must make when selecting head-worn devices that can give their engineers essential information about the assets they are working on while allowing them to work hands free.

In this segment, Parkinson offers his expert guidance and insight into some of the key considerations that field service companies factor into their thinking when selecting suitable devices for their own field service teams.

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FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full length interview plus many, many more in the Field Service New Digital Symposium. If you have an FSN Premium account you can access the video on the button below. If you are currently on our FSN Standard subscription tier you can upgrade your subscription by clicking the link below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.

Totalmobile Acquires Cognito iQ To Add Leading Analytics Capability To Existing Suite Of Field Service Management Solutions

Mar 25, 2021 • News • Cognito iQ • Digital Transformation • field service management • Covid-19 • EMEA • totalmobile

Largest acquisition to date will increase Annual Recurring Revenues and provide entry into the UK logistics market with customers including Hermes, Transport for London and Argos.

UK-based Field Service Management (FSM) software company, Totalmobile, has announced it has completed the acquisition of Cognito iQ, a Newbury-based provider of workforce management and analytics technology, to add to its comprehensive suite of software solutions.

The market leading real time analytics solution provided by Cognito iQ collects data from multiple sources to provide a clear overview of operational performance. This enables even the largest and most complex of organisations to manage data in a more effective manner, empowering their customers - that include Hermes, Transport for London and Argos - to achieve continuous improvements in productivity and efficiency.

THE ADDITION OF COGNITO IQ PROVIDES TOTALMOBILE WITH A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE FAST-GROWING LOGISTICS MARKET

The acquisition of Cognito iQ enables Totalmobile to add a best-of-breed real time performance analytics capability to an already comprehensive suite of end-to-end Field Service Management technologies, enabling customers to manage data better and closely analyse ongoing operations via a control room that ensures services are being delivered efficiently and KPIs are being met.

This highly capable technology will be rebranded and launched as Totalmobile’s new ‘Analyse’ product, presenting a significant opportunity to offer the product to Totalmobile’s existing customer base of over 1,000 organisations, covering a range of sectors, including Government, Health and Social Care, Facilities Management, Infrastructure and Housing.

The addition of Cognito iQ also provides Totalmobile with a strong presence in the fast-growing logistics market, which has an increasing need for transformative and scalable technology due to a change in consumer behaviours accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Today’s announcement marks Totalmobile’s largest addition to date and its sixth acquisition in the last two years, delivering on a dual strategy of combining the most comprehensive suite of FSM products with deep sector expertise. It sets Totalmobile firmly on track to achieve its goal to become the world’s largest regional FSM company by the end of 2021.

Jim Darragh, CEO of Totalmobile, said, “In today’s world the ability to manage, analyse and then action operational data is critical for any organisation that is striving to provide an exceptional service. With today’s acquisition of Cognito iQ, I am delighted to announce that we have added a market leading real time analytics software solution that enables any customer to drive continuous improvement across their operations

In addition, this technology strongly complements our existing solutions which are providing our customers with mobile working, dynamic scheduling, job management, staff rostering and lone worker protection capabilities

The acquisition of Cognito iQ is the largest in the history of the company and comes shortly after the addition of utilities sector specialist GeoPal. This highlights the giant strides that we are making as we continue to accelerate our growth. I’m very excited about what the future holds and look forward to welcoming our new colleagues and customers to Totalmobile.”

Laurent Othacéhé, CEO, Cognito iQ said, “Totalmobile, with its uniquely strong position in the field service and mobile workforce management market, is the ideal springboard to take the revolutionary Cognito iQ products to market on a very large scale from day one. We very much look forward to joining the Totalmobile Group to accelerate growth and deliver transformational solutions to our customers.”

National WFH Arrangements Demand Faster Fibre Optic Connection Rollout

Mar 25, 2021 • News • Network Operations • Digital Transformation • EMEA • rehau

Innovative solutions are required if installers and service providers are to keep up with the increased need for high-speed fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband connections, says a leading telecoms expert.

With 46.6% of people in employment worked from home in some capacity, according to findings from the Office of National Statistics last year, demand for fast internet speeds has skyrocketed and placed further stress on the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure. Yet obstacles to FTTH deployment, such as skilled technician shortages and difficulties coordinating homeowner appointments to set up connections, are preventing millions from accessing this transformational technology, says Paul Churm, Fibre Optics Specialist at REHAU.

“The events of 2020 have shown that fast internet speeds are not a luxury for UK homeowners, but a necessity.” Paul explains. “Ensuring fibre optic broadband for all, in line with Government’s targets of large-scale fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) uptake by 2025 will not only be crucial to ensuring the UK workforce are not impeded by slow connections, but also the wider nation’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

REHAU has launched RAUSPEED EasyConnect, a new cable blowing-in box to streamline the rollout of fibre optic broadband.

“However, with only 15% of the country currently connected to fibre-optic broadband, steps need to be taken to ensure a faster rollout. Tackling issues surrounding the blowing-in process will be key to increasing uptake and ensuring the country is future-proofed against the increasing levels of data transfer it continues to experience.”

It is with these concerns in mind that REHAU has launched RAUSPEED EasyConnect, a new cable blowing-in box to streamline the process, saving ISPs and installers both costs and time.

“FTTH installations have traditionally needed two people – one to operate the blowing-in device at the exchange, and crucially, another requiring access to the home to receive the cable,” says Paul. “This has required the homeowner to be present throughout, so trying to co-ordinate installation across multiple homes can quickly become a logistical nightmare.

“However, by externally or internally installing EasyConnect boxes at the end of the micro duct, a single installer can quickly connect multiple homes from the cable distribution point. This means only one technician is required to carry out work without downtime between individual units. Additionally, the previously supporting installer can be redeployed to additional projects, further speeding up rollout while providing greater convenience to the homeowner.”

The EasyConnect is designed with a house connection micro duct that is automatically sealed and water and gas-tight up to 0.5 bars of pressure, and slows down the cable as it enters the box. It also contains a sponge catcher to ensure the micro duct is kept free of contaminants during the blowing-in process, with humidity and excess lubrication stored within an included water tank. Excess cable lengths are available for splicing, which can be done at a later date.

Paul concludes: “If ISPs are to promptly meet the nation’s ambitious fibre optic installation targets, new innovations must be considered. A one-visit, one-technician approach could greatly assist in this, so any solution that can reduce work required for blowing-in to a minimum should be welcomed.

“As such, the innovative design of the EasyConnect box, combined with our existing RAUSPEED micro duct solution, means it is well-placed to do exactly this. Because RAUSPEED also satisfies all requirements for government grants and subsidies, these installations can be carried out alongside already-scheduled underground construction work, leading to an even more efficient process.”

For more information on fibre broadband and REHAU’s new EasyConnect system, visit:

https://www.rehau.com/uk-en/telecommunication

Live Demonstration: Remote service tools within the IFS FSM solution

Mar 25, 2021 • Features • Panasonic • Digital Transformation • HVAC • IFS

Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News, is joined by Karl Lowe, Head of European Service, Panasonic Heating and Cooling Solutions Europe and Sarah Nicastro, Field Service Evangelist, Future of Field Service and IFS as the group discuss...

IFS acquires Axios Systems

Mar 24, 2021 • News • Digital Transformation • field service management • IFS • GLOBAL • Axios Systems

IFS, announces it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Axios Systems PLC, a global provider of cloud-based Enterprise Service Management (ESM) software. Recognized as a leader in IT Service Management (ITSM) and IT Operations Management (ITOM), Axios Systems has built a reputation for the quality of its omnichannel service management solution, which many of the world’s most respected brands rely on, including: Aviva, KPMG, FedEx and many more.

IFS is where service and value for customers come first. In the recent launch of IFS Cloud™ and in its growth strategy, IFS delivered on its goal to bring to market technology and industry-specific capabilities that support the customers’ journey to digitalization and help them evolve to become more outcome and service-led. More and more companies are turning to IFS to help them deliver when it matters most to their customers—at the Moment of Service.

Over the years, IFS has significantly invested in its Service Management business, which grew over 100 percent year on year in 2020. The acquisition of Axios Systems adds further depth to IFS’s capabilities with new ITSM and ITOM functionality that will help companies improve the design and automation of workflows, drive efficiency internally, and connect data across teams and systems to ultimately create opportunities to better serve its customers. The combination of IFS and Axios Systems is instrumental in extending IFS’s ambition to cement itself as the market leader in the Service space.

IFS further extends stronghold in service management with additional Enterprise Service Management capabilities

Like all elements of the IFS proposition, the customer can deploy Axios Systems’ Enterprise Service Management capabilities as a best-of-breed point solution or integrate it with other capabilities built into IFS Cloud. This puts IFS in a unique position to offer an end-to-end service solution that supports employees internally and in the field, as well as businesses as they deliver products, outcomes or indeed services. For the first time, customers will be able to connect both worlds and create a new level of visibility across their value chain so that they can delight customers in delivering great Moments of Service.

IFS CEO Darren Roos commented, “The acquisition is very significant for IFS: we are extending our Service Management proposition to help businesses address inefficiencies that can impact their ability to deliver delightful ‘Moments of Service’. Beyond process and workflow design and simplification, Axios and IFS together create visibility across internal and external siloes. He elaborated, “The ability to monetize service creates a competitive edge. Today customers want service: reliably and consistently, but there is a missing piece; companies need to be able to leverage customers, people and assets and not only articulate the true value but also ‘design for Serviceability’. With Axios, IFS is adding specific capabilities that bring visibility into the value delivered inside and out and highlight opportunities for ongoing improvements.”

Tasos Symeonides, CEO and Founder of Axios noted, “As the founder of Axios, I am proud that my family and team have successfully established a global and well-respected provider of enterprise service management solutions. We are not done yet; we want to keep working with the great customers we already have and add new ones. To achieve this, we needed to join forces with a global software player who is as passionate about service management, delivering value, and creating great customer experiences, as we are. In IFS we found the ideal strategic partner and are now playing a role in helping IFS extend its leadership in enterprise service management!”

With Axios Systems’ leading ITSM & ITOM solutions, companies can design, automate, and simplify workflows along the value chain and deliver amazing Moments of Service

Ray Wang, principal & founder of Constellation Research Inc commented: “Prospects and customers who see service as a differentiator will find value with this acquisition. Most organizations seek the ability to connect IT and the back office to the front office and customer acting teams. Bridging those silos and creating visibility with a rich ESM solution will help organizations drive service innovation and visualize the value.”

Axios Systems enjoys an international blue-chip customer base across the US, Europe, Middle East and LatAm, and has successfully fostered strong user communities to build advocacy and drive product enhancements. Customers in the commercial sector include Aviva, FedEx, Sobeys, EDEKA, KPMG; and in the public sector include UK & Scottish Governments, State of Maine, Dubai Courts, Saudi Post and Fife Council.

Both Axios and IFS are highly rated by industry analysts. IFS has maintained its stronghold as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management Software every year since 2014. Axios is recognized as a Niche Player in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for IT Service Management Tools where Gartner highlights its strengths in customer engagement, strong focus on IT service management and impressive international customer base.

Hardware considerations for remote service (part one)

Mar 24, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation

Field Service News in partnership with RealWear, and OverIT have worked together to produce a detailed 22 page Essential Guide to Remote Service. In this next features in a series of excerpts from that guide we explore some of the key...

There are a number of different options available when it comes to selecting the right hardware when implementing a remote-service solution for the field. While each situation is different, the following are a some important considerations all field service companies should factor into their selections...

Form vs. Function:

One of the critical questions that should be considered when selecting enterprise-grade head-worn devices has actually been around for a long time when identifying devices for use in the field. Is it fit-for-purpose and designed with a practical application of use in the field in mind?

As Dr Chris Parkinson, CTO and Founder of RealWear put it during a presentation at the RealWear Connect digital conference last year “is it a fashion accessory or is it a tool?” In the embryonic days of the emergence of Smart Glasses, this distinction was blurred. Indeed many software vendors in the field service space released pilots and demos of solutions on the ill-fated Google Glass device.

Fortunately, our understanding of the role head-worn devices can play in the field service sector has matured significantly. So too has our understanding of what functionality is vital in such a device when it used within the field. Put simply, consumer focused devices (smart glasses) are far less likely to deliver and may even lead to a failed implementation. However, investment on an enterprise-focused device (head-worn computers) could deliver considerable ROI in multiple ways as we explored in the earlier segment of this guide and can be expected to do so within an impressive time-frame.

As Parkinson states; “Consumer devices will always prioritise form over function, while the enterprise will deliver function over form.”

When selecting a tool that can empower your field service team, function has to be the priority, always.

Binocular vs. Monocular

Firstly, what do we mean by binocular and monocular? Well, very simply, it refers to the number of eyes a screen is put in front of (monocular being Latin for one eye and binocular being two). In terms of head-worn computers aimed at the field service sector there are two very distinct types of devices beginning to emerge and when it comes to selecting the right device for your field workers, it is essential to consider the end-goal you are trying to achieve - to empower the engineer to do their job effectively and with a greater focus on their safety.

An excellent and well-known example of a binocular device would be Microsoft’s HoloLens. The user here is in a highly immersive mixed reality that blends augmented content and the real world. The augmented information is combined across both eyes, which can lead to a very effective and impressive immersive world that edges us towards the Hollywood vision of the future we are presented in films like Minority Report.

These are undoubtedly impressive devices and a hugely exciting technology, but is it fit-for-purpose when it comes to use in the field?

Within a binocular AR or Merged Reality (MR) display, the engineer’s focus is very concentrated roughly a metre in front of them. This can reduce both peripheral vision and general awareness of things that are going on around them. As we will see in the final segment of this guide, a case study featuring Alessandro Borzacchi, Innovation and Continuous Improvement Manager, RailCargo, such a solution could potentially put the lives of their field technicians at risk. This could likely be the case for many other field roles where an awareness of the surroundings is critical.

"Parkinson frames the difference between binocular and monocular as ‘digital first, reality second’ in the case of binocular and ‘reality first, digital second’ in the case of monocular. This is a particularly neat summary..."

That is not to say that there aren’t valid uses for such devices within industry, there absolutely are, and some excellent use cases have been put forward particularly around training. Whether it is safe for your field engineers to have restricted awareness of their surroundings is, however, a very important consideration to be factored into selection criteria.

Parkinson frames the difference between binocular and monocular as ‘digital first, reality second’ in the case of binocular and ‘reality first, digital second’ in the case of monocular. This is a particularly neat summary.

In terms of selecting the right device for your field technicians and engineers, the question is how important it is that they have their primary focus on their environment?

To put this another way, should the augmented digital information presented to the engineer be a supporting tool for them, rather than their primary point of focus?

Additionally, what would your use case in the field be that would require the more immersive, graphically sophisticated merged reality that a binocular device can deliver over its monocular counterpart?

One final factor in this equation is if selecting a monocular device, around 30% to 40% of people are left eye dominant. Therefore, it is important to select a device that is capable of being worn on either eye otherwise the device will not be suited for approximately a third of users.

Hands-free vs. Gesture and Touch Control

Another critical factor for consideration is how the device is controlled. There are essentially three primary mechanisms for controlling a device. Again it is important to consider the work-flow and environment within which your field engineers or technicians operate in order to identify which of the three control interfaces is best suited to your needs.

The three primary means of controlling a head-worn device are:

Hands-free (voice commands),
Gesture (either hands or head gesture)
Touch control (usually a control pad on the device that allows for swiping/ tapping commands)

In a field service environment gesture, hand gestures (where you are commanding a virtual screen in front of you) could prove problematic. The last thing you would want if your engineer is working within a factory floor, for example, is for them to be distracted with their arms held out in front of them.

One of the key advantages of implementing such devices in a field service role is to provide hands-free working for the engineer. Of course, this benefit is significantly negated if that engineer has to frequently use their hands to interact with the device.

"For a device to be easily controlled in the quiet of a demonstration centre is one thing. For it to work effectively in the often very noisy industrial environments found in the field, it is another thing entirely..."

While touch control is perhaps slightly less demanding in this instance, the same fundamental issue persists.

An engineer has to put down the tools in his hands to have to use the touchpad to interact with the device is not particularly conducive to an optimal work-flow.

In addition to this, in many field service environments, the engineer or technician will be working with safety gloves, rendering a touch-pad in a challenging to use at best and inoperable at worst.

This leaves us with voice-command being the most effective means of controlling a device within the field.

However, voice itself, of course, has its own challenges.

For a device to be easily controlled in the quiet of a demonstration centre is one thing. For it to work effectively in the often very noisy industrial environments found in the field, it is another thing entirely. Therefore, for a true hand-free solution to work, voice recognition has to be coupled with noise reduction technology.

A good baseline for analysis is the RealWear HMT-1 device which has a 98% success rate with regards to voice recognition while in a 95db environment.

For reference, 95db is the output of a motorcycle engine starting, or a pneumatic drill being operated in reasonable proximity to you. It is also the level at which sustained exposure could lead to hearing loss. An additional factor for consideration when selecting a device that is perhaps less frequently referenced when discussing noise cancellation, yet is equally essential, is speaker rejection. This is where the device will stop other voices being falsely interpreted as a command for the device.

Again using the HMT-1 as a benchmark effective speaker rejection is possible at a distance of just 30cm.

A final consideration around voice commands is whether the device can operate in multiple languages and if it is designed to be accent resilient. This is an important consideration for organisations that have an international field operation.

In the next article in this series we will look at three more benefits of remote service; empowering the blended workforce, embracing the tools for outcome-based services and differentiating your service against that of your competition...

How one company's innovation can shape an entire industry

Mar 22, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation

Field Service News in partnership with RealWear, and OverIT have worked together to produce a detailed 22 page Essential Guide to Remote Service.

As part of the research into this Essential Guide, Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News...

Field Service News in partnership with RealWear, and OverIT have worked together to produce a detailed 22 page Essential Guide to Remote Service.

As part of the research into this Essential Guide, Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News spoke with Alessandro Borzacchi, Senior Project Manager, Rail Cargo Group about their recent implementation of head-mounted computers and augmented reality-based remote service solution as part of our ongoing series of interview in the Field Service News Digital Symposium.

In this excerpt from that interview, Borzacchi explains how the innovation of RailCargo Italia could ultimately shape an entire industry.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full length interview plus many, many more in the Field Service New Digital Symposium. If you have an FSN Premium account you can access the video on the button below. If you are currently on our FSN Standard subscription tier you can upgrade your subscription by clicking the link below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.

Why the difference between smart glasses and headworn computers is important in a field service context

Mar 19, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation

Here the two discuss why it is important to distinguish between consumer-targeted devices that are now generally termed as 'smart glasses' and head-worn computers that are aimed specifically at industrial or enterprise use.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full length interview plus many, many more in the Field Service New Digital Symposium. If you have an FSN Premium account you can access the video on the button below. If you are currently on our FSN Standard subscription tier you can upgrade your subscription by clicking the link below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.

Deploying a remote expert solution in the middle of the pandemic

Mar 18, 2021 • Features • Panasonic • Digital Transformation • HVAC • IFS

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Further Reading:

THE ADDITION OF COGNITO IQ PROVIDES TOTALMOBILE WITH A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE FAST-GROWING LOGISTICS MARKET

Further Reading:

REHAU has launched RAUSPEED EasyConnect, a new cable blowing-in box to streamline the rollout of fibre optic broadband.

Further Reading:

Want to know more? FSN Premium Subscribers and FSN Elite Members can watch this full interview and hours more of in-depth long-form interviews with a series of field service leaders in the Field Service News Digital Symposium. Watch the interview with Lowe and Nicastro on the button below.

If you are currently on our free forever FSN Standard subscription tier or have yet to join 30,000 of our field service peers as a FSN subscriber you can find out more again on the button below.

Further Reading:

IFS further extends stronghold in service management with additional Enterprise Service Management capabilities

With Axios Systems’ leading ITSM & ITOM solutions, companies can design, automate, and simplify workflows along the value chain and deliver amazing Moments of Service

Further Reading:

Form vs. Function:

Binocular vs. Monocular

"Parkinson frames the difference between binocular and monocular as ‘digital first, reality second’ in the case of binocular and ‘reality first, digital second’ in the case of monocular. This is a particularly neat summary..."

Hands-free vs. Gesture and Touch Control

"For a device to be easily controlled in the quiet of a demonstration centre is one thing. For it to work effectively in the often very noisy industrial environments found in the field, it is another thing entirely..."

In the next article in this series we will look at three more benefits of remote service; empowering the blended workforce, embracing the tools for outcome-based services and differentiating your service against that of your competition...

Further Reading:

Want to know more?

Further Reading:

Want to know more?

Further Reading:

Want to know more? FSN Premium Subscribers and FSN Elite Members can watch this full interview and hours more of in-depth long-form interviews with a series of field service leaders in the Field Service News Digital Symposium. Watch the interview with Lowe and Nicastro on the button below.

If you are currently on our free forever FSN Standard subscription tier or have yet to join 30,000 of our field service peers as a FSN subscriber you can find out more again on the button below.

Further Reading:

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