Najjar, L. J., Thompson, J. C., Ockerman, J., & Treanor, C. J. (1996, August). Using a wearable computer for industrial data collection and performance support. Paper presented at the Workshop on Wearable Computer Systems meeting, Renton, WA.

Using a Wearable Computer for Industrial Data Collection and Performance Support

Lawrence J. Najjar, J. Christopher Thompson, Jennifer J. Ockerman, and Christopher J. Treanor
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Multimedia in Manufacturing Education Laboratory
(404) 894-3412
gt4708d@prism.gatech.edu

Multimedia in Manufacturing Education Laboratory

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is a not-for-profit applied research organization that is part of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Most of our work is funded by state and federal government organizations. The purpose of the Multimedia in Manufacturing Education Laboratory is to develop innovative learning technologies and to conduct research on the use of these technologies in industrial and educational settings.

Research Problem

We are investigating the use of wearable computers to help us with two applied research problems. The first problem is the collection of real-time quality assurance data by mobile poultry plant workers in a very noisy environment. The challenges on this project include:

• Providing hands-free operation
• Sharing the data in real-time with plant managers
• Supporting user comfort
• Allowing audio interactions in a noisy environment
• Creating a simple user interface
• Keeping costs down.

The second research problem is the performance of a poultry plant water reduction audit by a mobile facilities engineer who may not have conducted such an audit before. The challenges on this project include:

• Providing hands-free operation
• Integrating information, software tools, and procedures
• Organizing information in a way that is obvious to both novice and expert users
• Allowing the user to get support for a task as the user actually performs the task
• Allowing the user to learn and control what is learned and when it is learned
• Allowing users to enter data in a non-sequential, user-defined order
• Providing information using the most appropriate medium
• Customizing the procedures and feedback to reflect the steps already completed.

Results

We developed a customized wearable computer and two software applications. The first-generation wearable computer consists of:

• A compact computer (about the size of a portable cassette player) that the worker wears on a belt. Combined with our customized applications and a wireless local area network, the computer allows the worker to enter and receive information wherever the worker goes.
• A microphone/earphone headset that allows the system to accept voice commands and to provide audio information while protecting the worker's hearing and keeping the worker's hands free for other tasks.
• A finger-operated pointing device that can be adjusted easily for right- or left-handed workers. The cursor positioning and selection device serves as a backup for the voice input system.
• A head-mounted display with a tiny computer screen that does not block the worker's vision. The small display allows the worker to continue to work while looking at text, drawings, and videos.
• A wireless local area network that allows the worker to send data to and receive data from a central computer in the poultry plant. The wireless LAN allows the plant manager to see the quality assurance data as it is collected.

For the quality assurance data problem, we demonstrated the ability of a mobile worker to use voice to enter data using our first-generation wearable computer. Next, we plan to store the data as a database file, use the wireless local area network to send the data to a computer in the Quality Assurance manager's office, then allow the manager to download it into a spreadsheet.

For the water reduction audit problem, we are developing a multimedia performance support system that integrates the steps, measurements, and reference material needed to perform a water reduction audit. The system consists of reference information, just-in-time task-specific training, expert advice on how to complete the tasks, and automated calculations. We plan to demonstrate the system to the intended users this summer.

Also, we plan to continue to refine our wearable computer to make it lighter and more powerful.

Implications

Our work has the following implications for wearable computing technology:

• Wearable computers may allow mobile workers to collect and transmit real-time data
• Wearable computers may provide multimedia information to help mobile workers as they actually perform a task
• It may be possible to use voice input to operate wearable computers in noisy environments.

In the future, wearable computers need to be smaller, lighter, more powerful, more robust, and cheaper. Voice recognition systems also need to be more accurate. Finally, after wearable computers and voice recognition systems satisfy these requirements, attention will shift to developing customized, easy-to-use applications that allow users to perform their tasks.

For more information about our work, please see http://mime1.marc.gatech.edu/mime/EPSS/default.htm.