Company-X’s acquisition of Pepper Creative, also based in Hamilton, added new, and highly specialised, capabilities to Company-X’s offering and grew the software specialist’s team to more than 50.
Pepper Creative founder Lance Bauerfeind and his team earned a reputation for their work using virtual and augmented reality for advanced scenario-based industry training, real-time maintenance solutions and content for sales and marketing. Clients include Fisher & Paykel, Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) and Westpac, with international clients in Europe and the USA.
Lance joined Company-X founders David Hallett and Jeremy Hughes on the Company-X management team.
“Pepper Creative and Company-X share some fundamentals that really confirm to me that this decision is the right one,” explains Lance. “We both listen to our client’s blue-sky ideas and help form them into a tangible project. And, just like Company-X, we have been at the forefront of using advanced technologies to bring those ideas to life. Also, we both foster innovative software experts keen to advance their careers, who have so much knowledge and commitment to share.”
For e-learning business Workbright, Pepper Creative developed a game-like training exercise for fire wardens, showing how to clear spaces, teaching outside inspections after a site is cleared and identifying all risks and hazards.
A recent project epitomising Pepper Creative’s expertise involved food safety and biosecurity firm, AsureQuality.
AsureQuality decided to investigate technology options for internal use and customer solutions, looking broadly at what was possible. They used a voice activated head mounted tablet to enable AsureQuality’s users the freedom to perform their work hands free and record comments, photos and videos for an inspection by voice alone.
Users can still see the person they are talking to without the obstruction of heavy glasses or visors, and the inspector has clear vision at all times, conforming to safety requirements.
“The work done for AsureQuality is a great example of how this evolving and highly specialised technology can add amazing value to a business,” says Company-X co-founder Jeremy Hughes.
“We’re very excited to grow the Company-X team with exceedingly clever people enabling us to deliver a whole new world of solutions” adds fellow co-director David Hallett.
Company-X’s agreement with leading head mounted tablet manufacturer RealWear covers Australia and New Zealand and makes the software specialist a reseller for the HMT-1 and intrinsically safe HMT-1Z1 head mounted tablet for areas where explosive gasses are present.
The lightweight head mounted tablets have a narrow “boom arm” with a “micro-display” that appears as though the worker is viewing a 7” tablet screen. The screen can be positioned just below line of sight, so the user can easily see the screen like a dashboard. To keep the experience completely hands-free all inputs are entirely voice-activated.
“Essentially, it’s a ruggedized tablet computer completely optimised for hands-free use that clips on a hard hat,” Lance explains. “It runs off the Android operating system and apps, so we can write customised apps for our clients, exactly like you can for a tablet. The core functions that are built into the headsets are the voice command functionality that has been enabled for all existing apps and navigation.”
Lance and his team first discovered RealWear’s solutions when looking for a device for a client’s onsite inspections and audits. They had already tried a competitor’s device but found the first option blocked users from seeing people. The HMT-1 or HMT-1Z1 is designed specifically to maintain situational awareness while improving productivity.
“We are pleased to find a partner that adds a powerful sales channel in the Australian and New Zealand market, with real experience in the application and use-cases of wearable technology,” says RealWear executive vice president Rocky Scales. “We carefully select our resellers who add additional value and have proven relationships with their regions and reach. We have found such a reseller in Company-X.”
One project using RealWear head mounted tablets is a proof of concept with off-site monitoring requirements.
“The challenge was to help technicians onsite at remote distribution hubs. The technicians carry out repair and maintenance on site so using the HMT needs no computer or laptop. You can’t take a laptop into an explosive area, which was needed here, but you can the head-mounted tablet, and the HMT-1Z1 model is certified as intrinsically safe.”
The device can also be used for remote voice calls and video calling, as well as anything you can do with a mobile app.
