Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., HMS Co., Ltd. and Holo-Light GmbH have developed new-look XR smart glasses that will be unveiled on 7-13 April at the bauma exhibition in Munich. The highly durable – watertight and dustproof – and advanced accessory allows technicians to: receive remote support from their service desk with a visual aid, using XR technology that enables the combination of real and virtual spaces; and deliver fast and high-quality onsite service.

The current shortage of trained personnel to conduct service and maintenance work on construction and mining machinery is one of the main challenges facing the industry, and therefore the streamlining of inspection, repair and other related work is a priority. Technicians usually use multiple data sources – such as status reports, service manuals and parts catalogues – on smartphones and tablets. However, they face difficulties in operating mobile devices with their hands full, viewing multiple data sources and communicating with expert technicians through online calls.

The XR smart glasses are the solution to meet these challenges, despite previously being used mainly indoors, and with other issues concerning onsite durability and operational stability. The latest innovation has been developed in collaboration by: Hitachi Construction Machinery to provide the industry expertise; HMS to develop the product based on the needs of the construction and mining sectors; and Hololight to provide the technology for streaming large amounts of data in a stable manner for long periods of time. The three companies will continue to work together to enhance remote support functions and other solutions, as well as strengthen partnerships to supply the market.

The smart glasses have been awarded an IP65 rating – meaning that they are watertight and dustproof – and created with a robust design that can be used with confidence by technicians at construction sites and mines in all weathers. In addition, they can be attached to a safety helmet and utilise the XR streaming technology to overlay multiple screens on to the surrounding area – making it possible to operate with physical buttons and finger movements. The footage from the camera on the glasses also enhances the speed and quality of online support available from the service desk in the form of advice, documents and data.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Executive Officer, and President of Spare Parts & Service Business Unit, Hiroshi Hosokawa said: “We are delighted to be working closely with two of the leading companies in the smart glasses and streaming technology sectors. Our construction and mining machinery is in operation all over the world, and we are constantly developing innovations to support the reliability and efficiency of our excavators, wheel loaders and rigid dump trucks. Hitachi Construction Machinery will continue to collaborate with our various partners to deliver added value to our customers, based on the spirit of the new ‘LANDCROS’ concept.”

HMS Founder and CEO Dr. Hu Zhencheng said: “Through the collaboration with Hitachi Construction Machinery and Hololight, we will be able to leverage our AR technology and device development capabilities to strongly promote the digital transformation of construction machinery maintenance. We are proud of the high accuracy and ease of use of our AR glasses, and we believe that their practicality has been further enhanced by deployment at construction and mining sites. In addition, we intend to further enhance the practicality of AR and XR, and accelerate digital transformation at these locations.”

Hololight CEO Florian Haspinger said: “We greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with Hitachi Construction Machinery and HMS, which has enabled us to integrate our proprietary XR streaming solution for seamless data access and remote expert support – even in the toughest environments. The XR smart glasses mark a major step in digitalising service operations, enhancing efficiency and empowering technicians. We’re excited to be part of bringing this technology to the field and shaping the future of industrial XR.”