CB Technologies (CBT) helps organizations design, deploy and support Connected Worker solutions that connect frontline employees with the people, information and systems they need – without taking their hands or attention away from the work.
“Our solutions combine hands-free RealWear wearable computers with applications for remote expert assistance, training, skills validation, inspection, maintenance and workflow documentation,” CEO Kelly Ireland said. “We also provide use-case discovery, solution design, systems integration, device deployment, user training, adoption services and ongoing managed support. Where appropriate, we integrate the wearable endpoint with enterprise platforms such as ServiceNow, Microsoft, SAP, Maximo and other asset-management or workflow systems.”
“I am especially excited about the work we are doing in healthcare technology management. We are helping healthcare organizations explore how wearables can connect technicians in the field with centralized cyber, engineering and equipment-support teams,” she added. “A technician can share exactly what they are seeing, receive guidance from a remote specialist, document the repair and access relevant information while continuing to work hands-free. This has the potential to improve first-time fix rates, reduce travel, accelerate repairs and increase equipment availability.”
TechNation Editor John Wallace recently interviewed Ireland to find out more about CBT and how it can assist HTM professionals.
Q: HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY STAND OUT IN THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FIELD?
IRELAND: CBT is not simply a hardware reseller. We approach wearable technology as an enterprise endpoint and as one component of a much broader digital-transformation strategy.
Our work begins with the operational problem – not the device. We spend time with frontline employees, HTM leaders, cybersecurity teams, educators and other stakeholders to understand how work is actually being performed. We then design the technology, workflow, integrations, training and support model around the people who will use it.
This is especially important in healthcare, where technology must fit within established security, privacy, safety and clinical requirements. Our team brings decades of experience in enterprise IT, edge technology, networking, security and large-scale deployment. We combine that technical background with a practical understanding of frontline adoption.
Our goal is not to complete a demonstration or leave a customer in a perpetual pilot. We establish measurable objectives at the beginning, validate the business and operational value and create a realistic path from an initial use case to an enterprise-scale program.
Q: WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY?
IRELAND: We believe the next phase of Connected Worker technology will be much larger than remote video collaboration. Wearable devices will increasingly become intelligent endpoints that securely connect frontline work with enterprise data, artificial intelligence, asset-management platforms and organizational knowledge.
For CBT, the immediate goal is to continue expanding our healthcare programs, particularly within HTM, clinical engineering, workforce training and competency validation. We are also building managed-service offerings that can support customers throughout the entire life cycle – from device provisioning and onboarding to application support, fleet management, workflow optimization and enterprise integration.
Another important focus is knowledge capture. Healthcare organizations are facing the retirement of highly experienced employees at the same time they are struggling to recruit and train the next generation of technicians. Wearable technology can help preserve institutional knowledge, make expertise available across multiple locations and provide newer employees with structured support while they build experience.
Ultimately, we want to establish a repeatable Connected Worker model that healthcare organizations can use across facilities, departments and regions rather than treating every deployment as a separate technology project.
Q: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW?
IRELAND: The most important lesson we have learned is that Connected Worker technology is not intended to replace skilled technicians. It is designed to strengthen and extend their capabilities.
For more information, visit: cbtechinc.com.
