Shipping in June, HMT-1Z1™ will be the Only Commercially Available Head-mounted Computer Certified for ATEX Zone 1 and C1/D1 Potentially Explosive Environments

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 31, 2018--(Augmented Reality World Expo – Booth 919) - RealWear®, the global leader in ruggedized hands-free AR wearable computers for heavy industry, today unveiled the world’s first commercially available intrinsically safe wearable computer (ATEX Zone 1 and Class 1 Division 1). The HMT-1Z1 is the only head-worn computer that presents no ignition risk where potentially explosive atmospheres exist during routine operation. The HMT-1Z1 ships on June 15, 2018.

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RealWear Unveils HMT-1Z1, World's First Intrinsically Safe Wearable Computer Permitted to Be Worn in Potentially Explosive Zones (Photo: Business Wire)

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This month, RealWear also signed a global agreement with Honeywell which includes cobranding and reselling RealWear’s products.

“With the launch of the HMT-1Z1, now all workers, even those in potentially explosive areas requiring intrinsically safe equipment, can take full advantage of the freedom and efficiencies available through purpose-built wearable computing,” said Andy Lowery, Co-founder and CEO of RealWear.

Eastman Chemical is currently working with RealWear on a project using the HMT-1.

“We have enjoyed onboarding and deploying RealWear HMT-1 units and are eagerly awaiting the HMT-1Z1 units,” said Jan Shumate, Director, Engineering Services & Solutions for World Wide Engineering and Construction, Eastman Chemical. “Those intrinsic safety-rated units will serve to bridge workflow into hazard-rated areas where we’ve historically had difficulty deploying new technology. We hope to see a step change in our ability to support manufacturing operations with the deployment of the HMT-1Z1.”

Intrinsic safety (IS) is a design and protection technique for safe operation of electrical and electronic equipment in hazardous locations by limiting the electrical or thermal energy to limits that cannot cause ignition of explosive gases, even under a fault condition in the device.

“The HMT-1Z1 is the only wearable computer on the market compliant with the safety protocols and standards mandated at oil and gas drilling rigs, pipelines, refineries, chemical plants, and flour and textile mills,” continued Lowery. “We are inspiring a new generation of workers.”

“As the first intrinsically safe wearable computer, RealWear’s HMT-1Z1 addresses a key gap in the market, providing mobile workers in hazardous environments the benefits of hands-free computing and communications,” said David Krebs, EVP at VDC Research. “According to our research, the value of these solutions translates to a more productive and engaged workforce while also helping prevent many of the worker safety risks inherent to these environments.”

Zone 1 hazardous areas include petrochemical plants, but also include pharmaceutical, food (grain silos and sugar processing) and cosmetic manufacturing, all of which involve processing potentially explosive substances. Use cases for these devices include remote mentoring via video collaboration, hands-free document navigation, guided workflow and IoT visualization from process control systems.

HMT-1Z1 compliance includes:

RealWear, HMT-1Z1, "Free your hands”, and “WearHF" are trademarks of RealWear, Inc. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Qualcomm, Snapdragon and Adreno are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. All third-party trademarks used with permission.

About RealWear

RealWear®, the global leader in hardware technology for industry, has built the first hands-free ruggedized head-mounted wearable computer for Connected Worker programs, the HMT-1. RealWear has more than 350 customers worldwide in oil and gas, utilities, automotive and manufacturing. Through its growing ecosystem of software providers, RealWear offers remote mentor, document navigation, industrial IoT visualization and digital workflow solutions to reduce downtime, increase productivity and improve worker safety, eliminating the need for costly or dangerous repairs.