DIGITAL

Technological triumphs for everyday use

2014 was the year of wearable technology – from smart watches to intelligent glasses – with over 19 million devices sold globally. The trend is likely to continue, with forecasts suggesting that 130 million devices will be sold by 2018. David Rees and Sir Merrick Cockell scrutinise the benefits for local government

To-date, attention has been focused on consumer applications for wearables, but it is likely that we will see a growing recognition of their potential in business use to improve operations and enhance customer experience.

For example, one UK supermarket is using wearable devices to give staff an image of what the shelf should look like when stocked, and then to help them check stock levels and locate items in the warehouse. It is also using smart watches to inform staff when customers arrive at the car park as part of their ‘click and collect' service. This enables staff to schedule collection and reduce customer waiting time.

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