The future of on-site training

Championing the shift away from traditional learning environments towards a digitised, real-time knowledge exchange is Brisbane-based tech company HINDSITE Industries.

Their knowledge management platform—delivered via wearable, speech-driven technologies—enables users to participate in live remote mentoring and access transferrable micro-learnings.

HINDSITE founder and chief executive Doug Hastings says the inspiration behind the idea, to be able to insert knowledge at the right time and for the right reason, was inspired after seeing the film The Matrix more than two decades ago.

“Fast forward to a number of years later, I was working on site at Snowy Hydro and I saw first-hand the difficulties and inefficiencies between engineers trying to discuss—at distance and through two-way radios— complex and critical issues.

“Those trying conversations would normally result in a physical call-out to site in order to assist and upskill others, at great expense and timelines to those overseeing operations.

“After years of refinement, experiments with different hardware providers and crucial firmware updates, that two-decade-old initial idea is now a commercialised reality.

“Our platform can now capture intrinsic tribal knowledge, preserve biometric data of hands-on skills and enable new starters or that next generation of worker to be on the job working faster, smarter and safer.”

In order to deliver HINDSITE’s remote mentoring platform, the company

Cloud computing and the adoption of wearable devices is opening up new possibilities in the way education is handed down on construction sites

has partnered with smart eyewear provider RealWear to record and capture data as well as initiating SWIS calling.

“RealWear’s Rugged Eyes headset has taken our software offering to another level,” Hastings says.

“Its tough hands-free headset is shockproof, and designed to handle water and dust, while offering wearers intrinsic safety.”

“For those on site, the hardware is incredibly intuitive and can be picked up and fully operational within five to 10 minutes.”

HINDSITE has also become a certified Google partner, in order to offer the ‘best-in-market’ Google Glass headset to its users, delivering a more tactical, non-ruggedised option.

Hindsite Google Glass RealWear Wearable Technology Brisbane

“We have seen immediate value from the use of our product for large scale, heavy asset owners, looking for one solution that offers audit-ability, governance and the centralisation of all future training,” Hastings says.

“Since the onset of Covid-19 new users have begun to utilise the full breadth of the product offering, onboarding and digitising standard operating procedure and in turn standardising practice and working conditions across their business.”

The company recently added IT manufacturing specialist Redflex Traffic Systems to its growing client list.

The Melbourne-based company has rolled out HINDSITE across its operations in the US and UK in order to manage its vast network of traffic cameras.

HINDSITE is also now standard practice across a number of state government-led authorities, including Urban Utilities Brisbane and Melbourne Water, using the technology to train staff overseeing water management systems.

“We have found immediate and practical benefits using Hindsite’s technology within the construction and development sector,” says Broad Peak Funds Management director, Paul Brown.

“The time and cost benefit leverages our business structure to provide efficiency in compliance, record keeping and accountability.”