I, Robot – a look at some of the craziest new tradie tech

Spike

As a tradie, there are probably a few things in your job that you think could be made easier or done better, but there just isn’t the tech or cash to make it happen. But the good thing is that there are some epic new tech innovations happening right now in the industry and one day, they might just be commonplace enough for you try ‘em out! In the meantime, take a look at some of these cool ideas below!

Exoskeletons

This one’s definitely something out of your favourite futuristic movie. Tech brand Ekso Bionics has created the EksoVest which provides up to 15 pounds (almost 7 kgs) of lift assistance per arm. It helps with overhead drilling and chipping or running plumbing lines. But the best part is that it looks pretty awesome!

 

Halo Light

You might have seen this one around, and while it maybe doesn’t look as cool as the exoskeleton, it’s definitely just as handy. This hands-free headlamp wraps completely around the brim of a hard hat and offers 360 degree visibility from as far away as 0.40 kms. Featuring a rechargeable battery, this baby can last for up to 12 hours!

 

‘Smart’ clothing

You know smart phones? Well now clothes have gained a bit of intelligence too! There are now clothing items that can be programmed to warm you up and cool you down based on your preferences. Designed to respond to your body temperature, you can keep warm without all the layers when it’s cold and cool down easily when it’s hot. There are also now ‘smart’ gloves that change colour when they’re exposed to toxic substances so you know when there’s some nasty materials around.

 

‘Smart’ safety glasses

Another object with more intelligence than your average product, there are now a few different types of smart safety glasses out there. As well as being certified safety glasses, they also feature live streaming technology, and you-see-what-I-see applications so you can share your view with someone else. This all helps to enable ‘hands-free’ remote assistance so you can get the job done without one hand on your phone!

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