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Encrypted video streaming technology developer Harvest Technology Group (ASX: HTG) has today entered into an agreement to give Belgium-based Iristick's 'smart safety glasses' an update.
Perth-based Harvest, founded in 2019, will commence proof of concept trials to see its video encryption and streaming technology integrated into Iristick's smart glasses following a successful prototype test.
By implementing Harvest's Nodestream and Wearwolf technology, Iristick's smart glasses will be able to stream video via ultra-low bandwidths over poor quality or congested networks, making the application ideal for remote, underground or subsea environments.
The partnership is Harvest's latest push into the growing wearables market, making the most of the technology developed by its wholly-owned subsidiary Harvest Infinity.
Harvest Infinity focuses on the creation of proprietary software and algorithms, allowing for the secure encrypted transfer of data including video and audio, specifically designed for offshore or remote locations.
According to HTG managing director Paul Guifoyle, video and audio captured by Iristick's glasses can be transferred at speeds as low as 32kbps using the Nodestream and Wearwolf technologies.
"We are very excited to be involved in a relationship with Iristick and look forward to our joint opportunities in the future," says Guilfoyle.
"We have successfully proven our Wearwolf application on multiple wearable platforms and we are confident it can be quickly adapted for use across other wearable devices.
"Given the expected growth in the wearables market, we are forecasting more than 1,000 new Wearwolf licences in 2021."
Developed by Brussels-based Iristick, the glasses come packed with integrated dual cameras, zoom lenses, a barcode scanner, voice commands and an unrestricted field of view.
The smart glasses are already out in the field and are used by companies including Bayer to give workers a view of the digital and physical worlds simultaneously, but with Harvest's video streaming technology Iristick CEO Johan De Geyter hopes to capture a new market.
"The global pandemic kickstarted the use of remote assistance via smart glasses as a solution to keep enterprise operations running under strict travel bans and contact restrictions," says De Geyter.
"As field workers are sometimes confronted with low or no Wi-Fi connection, this collaboration can overcome that issue and make remote assistance available over low bandwidth, at any possible location, ensuring workers stay connected at any time."
While the product is ultimately targeted at customers in the mining and subsea industries Harvest's main clients the group acknowledges the smart glasses technology has a variety of other applications including in complex manufacturing, logistics and warehousing operations, building and construction, telehealth, humanitarian aid, and in the military.
Prototype testing of the integration of Harvest's tech into the glasses was completed in December 2020 during which the Wearwolf application was successfully combined with the Iristick software development kit.
During testing the integration was proved to work with the cameras, the microphone and the screen on the Iristick smart glasses.
Trial communications were successfully maintained between Perth, Australia and Belgium at 128kbps.
The product is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2021.
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