This post is part of an ongoing series in which we take a close look at some of our extended reality (XR) technologies. This time, it's the turn of the Navigator 500 – a high-end wearable computer built by leading assisted reality brand RealWear.

Thinking of buying some for your own business? Read on to learn the essential facts and key use cases, or jump right in and purchase the Navigator 500 headset today.

What is the RealWear Navigator 500?

The Navigator 500 is, at the time of writing, the latest and most powerful assisted reality (aR) headset from RealWear.

Like its predecessors, the Navigator is a fully functional, head-mounted computer. It comes complete with a high-resolution camera, an arm-mounted display and the Android 11 operating system.

Wearing the headset, staff can read important documentation, dial into video calls and access remote assistance, even as they work on the frontline. Hence the name "assisted reality" – devices like the Navigator are designed to assist workers as they carry out real-world tasks.

This is distinct from virtual reality (VR), which totally immerses the user in a simulated world, and augmented reality (AR), which blends elements of the real and virtual.

How do you use the RealWear Navigator 500?

The Navigator is worn around the temples, allowing for 100% hands-free use. You can either attach it with a special headband or clip it into compatible PPE, such as a hard hat.

Slip it on and you'll see the bright micro-display in front of you. Despite being only a third of an inch across, it appears to the wearer like a seven-inch tablet.

The display is mounted on a boom arm, so it's easy to adjust to suit your use case or dominant eye. Alternatively, you can swing the screen out of the way entirely and enjoy unerring focus on the job at hand.

Now, you might be wondering… how do you interact with the device?

That's easy. Just talk.

Thanks to RealWear's unique speech recognition engine, the Navigator can be controlled entirely with voice commands. These are simple, intuitive and quick to say – like "navigate home" and "mute microphone". Easy.

RealWear Navigator 500 use cases

We get it. aR technology like the Navigator is new to many people, so it can be difficult to imagine how it could be deployed in day-to-day work situations.

Just ask yourself this question: what could my workforce achieve if they had access to intuitive, hands-free computers, whenever they need them?

Because that's exactly what the Navigator is – a computer you can wear.

Consider remote collaboration, for instance. Nowadays, we're all used to video conferencing – it's easy for most of us to jump on a video call, and it's often preferable to crowding into a stuffy meeting room.

But until recently, this privilege was reserved for office staff with access to PCs and laptops. Perhaps a floor manager could join in on their smartphone, but this is hardly ideal for a challenging industrial environment.

Hardware like the Navigator headset changes all that. Equipped with this wearable tech, floor staff can dial into video calls and deliver updates directly from the frontline.

Business meetings are only the start, though. Has a crucial bit of machinery broken down? An on-site engineer could call a remote expert, who could talk them through the repair aided by "see-what-I-see" video and advanced collaboration tools. They get instant help, you save on travel costs because you don't need to fly in a specialist to your work site. Win-win.

Or you could empower frontline staff to carry out inspections and repairs on their own, with no need for messy, insecure paper documentation. With a few voice commands, workers could bring up vital schematics, step-by-step repair instructions, or real-time internet of things (IoT) data.

This isn't just beneficial for industrial businesses. Other sectors, such as medicine, can profit from the technology too.

Paramedics, for example, could call healthcare specialists and get help delivering life-saving care in far-flung locations. Or hospital nurses could don headsets as they do their rounds, and carry out assessments guided by a remote doctor.

Exciting stuff, right? Just wait until you discover more use cases for aR headsets like the Navigator.

RealWear Navigator 500 features

The RealWear Navigator's specs are pretty darn impressive. We're talking an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a beefy GPU to back it up. Nice.

But we're not going to cover all the technical stuff here. Instead, we're going to focus on the features that have the most value for industrial use.

(Want to see more details? Check out the RealWear Navigator product page.)

Rugged and lightweight: like all of RealWear's devices, the Navigator is designed with industry firmly in mind. It sports a ruggedised design – drop tested to two metres – yet is lightweight and comfortable enough to wear for long shifts.

Unique modular design: now this is really cool. The Navigator can support more uses cases than ever before, thanks to its unique detachable camera module. You can switch the camera out for other accessories, or simply detach it entirely if you don't need it.

Multi-functional camera: the Navigator's camera has seen a significant upgrade, compared to previous RealWear devices. Use it in standard mode, and enjoy excellent low light performance with five levels of zoom. Or switch to telephoto mode to hone in on those little details. Even fully zoomed in, it can capture 720p video.

Fingerprint scanner: also new to the Navigator is a built-in fingerprint scanner. This lets users log in with a quick touch, ensuring watertight security and speedy deployment in the field.

Next steps

We hope this analysis helped you get to grips with the RealWear Navigator 500. We'll be covering more of our favourite XR devices in future, so keep your eyes peeled.

Want to boost productivity with some truly transformative tech? Browse our full range of XR products here.