A post on the PwC Emerging Technology blog suggests that companies that can provide consumers with in-demand wearables may be able to secure competitive advantage.

The blog article highlights a number of remarkable shifts in consumer attitudes towards wearable technology since the last survey on wearables trends was conducted in 2014, such as:

• Adoption of wearable tech devices has doubled
• Concerns over privacy issues have decreased
• Trust in security has increased
• Consumers are excited about the future of wearable technology as a part of everyday life

The positive shift overall in consumer sentiment has significant implications for wearable technology, from new workplace applications to opportunities for companies to connect better with customers. The spin offs of these positive attitudes towards wearables is that there is a more welcoming attitude within the workplace to wearable technology:

• Almost 8 in 10 people say wearables make them more efficient at work and feel time companies adopted wearables on the job
• 2 in 3 people believe their companies should fund the purchase of wearable tech devices
• 49% of respondents said wearables will increase workplace efficiency
• 37% of respondents expect their company to adopt the latest technology, even if it doesn’t directly influence their work
• Examples such as fitness tracking at work with company reward schemes would be welcomed
• Companies should provide smart watches to help employees test a new app
• 3D smart glasses should be provided to help shop floor workers identify and track inventory to reduce cycle time and improve productivity and performance
• Respondents were excited about applications in the doctor’s office and within banks, mobile providers, cable providers and car producers.

There is still some way to go with trusting wearables that may be provided by companies to consumers. However, consumer excitement has certainly soared. Consumers want something to fit their lifestyles and budgets but are ready to adopt. The report has significant competitive advantage implications for companies that can provide wearables to better communicate with their customers.

An interesting article on EE News website uses Pokémon Go as a springboard to look at how Augmented Reality technology is being used in enterprise, specifically in the energy industry.

Examples quoted include:

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory shows in a video how researchers use the same Geographic Information System (GIS) as in Pokémon Go, to assess water and energy demand.
• NextGen Climate is targeting Pokémon hotspots to find new supporters and hosting events with solar-powered charging stations.
• Eric Abbruzzese, a senior analyst at ABI Research is quoted as saying there is a lot of interest in the energy space. Oil and gas companies are making use of Augmented Reality and according to ABI research, the industrial sector is expected to comprise 44% of smart glasses revenue within five years<./li>

Notably, AREA Member Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has been testing similar technology to boost efficiencies in the electricity industry. Detailed information on their work is given in the article and summarized below:

• John Simmins of EPRI, who is leading their augmented reality testing, gives a number of detailed examples of how AR technology can be used for energy savings in the field.
• For example, after a major storm, workers dispatched to assess damage may not have as much expertise as usual line workers. By using a smart helmet or glasses, they can find hard-to-find power lines or transformers. The information can be sent to HQ with voice command, meaning increased speed, reduced outage time and error reduction.
• Other applications include malfunction detection, training and dramatically reducing the need for experts to travel long distances to make repairs and solve problems, when AR technology means this could be done remotely.
• The DAQRI Smart Helmet is mentioned in the article as being particularly useful in the oil and gas industry where workers require both a hard hat and free hands.

There is also a link to an EPRI video demonstrating inspection equipment with a smart helmet, shown below.

Links to the member company profiles can be accessed here: EPRI profile and DAQRI profile.

A report in the Business section of Republic News reveals that a new study by Research Corridor has provided an extensive view of the smart glasses and smart windows industry. It has taken into account present and future features of the market, analyzing ongoing trends and market dynamics, and offers a data forecast. The report, which is both quantitative and qualitative, covers different product definitions, classifications and participants in the industry chain structure.

The market is segmented into geographic regions:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Rest of the World (consisting of Latin America, the Middle East and Africa)

Regional factors such as inflation rate, demographics and gross domestic product (GDP) have been thoroughly analysed as part of the report.

In addition to the 2015-2022 forecast, estimates for the market have been made for 2013 and 2014. As well as a discussion of key strategies, the report concludes with a section on company profiles containing information on financials of the major players in the market, as well as fundamental developments.

The headline scope and features include, but are not confined to, the following:

• Key Developments
• Market Overview & Growth
• Import and Export Overview
• Market Trends and Future Outlook
• Attractive Investment Proposition
• Key Strategies Adopted by Leading Players

Readers can access the complete report at here.

According to an article on Tech Republic, a Deloitte survey released last week shows that middle market companies are now up to date with technology, and are strategically investing in the Internet of Things (IoT), Virtual reality and Augmented reality in order to overtake competitors. They are also realizing the importance of innovative tech as a way of expanding their business, both now and in the future.

Steven Keathley, the National Technology Leader of Deloitte Growth Enterprise Services (DGES), is quoted to have said that IT is becoming more important as a driving force for technology and rather than simply acting as a support function for businesses. In the report, Harvey Michaels, the national consulting leader for the DGES, is quoted to have said that technology is speeding up the growth of smaller companies and becoming a differentiating feature in the middle market.

The survey was conducted in June and July this year, and was aimed at 500 US middle market company executives with annual revenues of $100 million to $1 billion. Almost 90% of middle market companies responded to the Deloitte survey using some form of Virtual or Augmented Reality, and 19% of respondents said they are spending more money on technology in 2016 than in previous years.

Out of the companies currently developing IoT projects, half of them said they are using hybrid cloud monitoring, and a similar number are using smart industrial devices. In addition, 54% of companies said that security is one of their main reasons for investing in cloud technology.