RealWear HMT-1Z1
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| RealWear HMT-1Z1 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | AR Glasses |
| Developer | RealWear |
| Announcement Date | May 2018 |
| Release Date | 2018 |
| Price | $5,250 hardware MSRP in a 2023 promotion[1] |
| Successor | RealWear Navigator Z1 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Android 6.0 in the 2018 guide[2]; Android 8 (AOSP) in the data sheet[3]; Android 10 with firmware Release 12[4]; WearHF interface |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (2.0 GHz, 8-core) |
| GPU | Adreno 506 |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 16 GB; microSD slot (cards up to 64 GB) |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM |
| Display | |
| Display | Single LCD monocular |
| Resolution | 854x480 (WVGA), single display |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 20° (axis unspecified by manufacturer)[3] |
| Optics | |
| Ocularity | Monocular |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Internal 91 dB loudspeaker; 3.5 mm audio jack |
| Microphone | 4 digital microphones with active noise cancellation |
| Camera | 16 MP, 4-image stabilized, PDAF, LED flashlight; video up to 1080p at 30 fps |
| Connectivity | |
| Ports | Micro-USB (data and charging); 3.5 mm audio |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz |
| Bluetooth | 4.1 LE |
| Battery Capacity | 3400 mAh Li-ion, non-removable |
| Battery Life | 8-10 hours with typical use (manufacturer claim) |
| Device | |
| Weight | 430 g |
| Sensors | 9-DOF IMU (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer); GPS, GLONASS, A-GPS |
| Input | Voice commands (WearHF), head gestures; power key and action key[2][3] |
RealWear HMT-1Z1 is an augmented reality head-mounted display released in 2018. It is a voice-controlled, monocular head-mounted computer made by RealWear for industrial workers, and it is certified as intrinsically safe for ATEX Zone 1 and CSA Class I Division 1 hazardous locations where potentially explosive gases may be present.[3][5] RealWear describes it as a hands-free, "tablet class" Android wearable computer. Its small LCD sits on a boom arm below the wearer's line of sight, and RealWear says the image appears like a 7-inch tablet at arm's length.[6]
RealWear groups the HMT-1Z1 with the RealWear HMT-1 as its HMT series.[7] The company announced the HMT-1Z1 in May 2018 and said it would ship on 15 June 2018.[8] Shell and the Italian utility Italgas were among the companies that adopted it for field work in explosive atmospheres.[9][10] RealWear has since declared the device end of life and recommends moving to its Navigator series, which includes the intrinsically safe RealWear Navigator Z1.[7]
History
Announcement and release
RealWear announced the HMT-1Z1 in May 2018 as an intrinsically safe wearable computer certified for ATEX Zone 1 and Class 1 Division 1. The company said the device presents no ignition risk where potentially explosive atmospheres exist during routine operation, and that it would ship on 15 June.[8] Intrinsic safety is a protection technique that limits the electrical or thermal energy in a device to levels that cannot ignite explosive gases, even when the device has a fault.[8]
In the announcement, David Krebs, a senior analyst at VDC, said there had been two years of anticipation in industry for a commercially available intrinsically safe, ruggedized wearable computer. RealWear also said it had recently signed an agreement with Honeywell covering cobranding and global reselling of its wearable computers, and that Eastman Chemical was working with it on a project using the HMT-1.[8]
A RealWear promotion valid through December 2023 listed the HMT-1Z1 hardware at $5,250 MSRP and a $750 early-access program for the next intrinsically safe model, for $6,000 combined. The offer included the future device with twelve months of service and support once available in the customer's region; customers could retain their HMT-1Z1.[1]
Deployments
Automation World reported in April 2019 that Shell had selected the HMT-1Z1 for field workers and that the devices were being deployed through Honeywell at 24 operational sites in 12 countries, including the United States, China, Russia, India, Germany and Austria, and that Shell had already field tested and deployed 40 units. Automation World described Honeywell as the global supplier of the HMT-1Z1, providing additional software applications, services and hands-on field knowledge. Shell used the headsets mainly for remote assistance: a remote expert could see the worker's view over a video call and draw annotations that appeared on the worker's display.[9]
In February 2020, RealWear announced that Italgas had chosen the HMT-1Z1 running field service software from OverIT. Italgas manages about 44,000 miles of pipelines and 7.6 million assets. Its field crews use the headset to read technical data sheets, multimedia content and asset history while working with both hands, to get remote support, and to update asset records by voice. According to RealWear, the utility had already seen productivity gains using the system for complex and risk-sensitive tasks, even in ATEX Zone 1 restricted zones.[10]
In January 2024, RealWear wrote that the HMT-1Z1 was the first commercially available ATEX head-mounted product and that it was used by "virtually all majors" for inspections, remote calls and troubleshooting.[11]
AMA's Solvay case study describes HMT-1Z1 headsets running XpertEye for remote construction safety audits during COVID-19 travel restrictions, with staff in Belgium and at a Brazilian production site. The software vendor projected approximately EUR 30,000 in annual savings and at least five tonnes of avoided CO2 emissions annually at steady state; these were expected benefits, rather than measured results.[12]
End of support and successor
Firmware Release 12.6, with a target general availability date of 5 June 2023 and an emergency maintenance release on 25 September 2023, is the last firmware for the HMT-1Z1. It includes Android security updates released through the end of February 2023.[13] RealWear's firmware policy states that the HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1 are end of life and will not receive firmware updates beyond version 12.6.[14] The company says the HMT series is now officially end of life and end of support, that it no longer provides technical support or security updates for these devices through its standard channels, and that the devices keep working but third-party app compatibility cannot be guaranteed. It recommends moving to the RealWear Navigator series.[7]
RealWear announced the Navigator Z1 on 29 August 2023, with ATEX Zone 1, CSA C1/D1 and IECEx certifications at launch. Shipments were planned to start in November 2023 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, including Japan, and in February 2024 in North America.[15] According to RealWear, the Navigator Z1 has four times the RAM of the HMT-1Z1 and a display that is 20% larger with twice the resolution. It is built on the Navigator platform, so an HMT-1Z1 cannot be upgraded to it.[16] RealWear said it followed guidance from i.safe MOBILE again for the Navigator Z1, building on the HMT-1Z1.[11]
Design and hardware
Intrinsic safety and ruggedization
The HMT-1Z1 carries ATEX, IECEx and NEC500 hazardous-area markings for both gas and dust atmospheres.[3] The EU declaration of conformity for its radio equipment, type T1100S, was issued by i.safe MOBILE GmbH.[17] RealWear's firmware notes list the HMT-1Z1 model number as T1100S.[13]
| Scheme | Marking |
|---|---|
| ATEX | II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb; II 2D Ex ib IIIC T135°C Db IP6X |
| IECEx | Ex ib IIC T4 Gb; Ex ib IIIC T135°C Db IP6X |
| NEC500 | Class I, Division 1, Groups A,B,C,D T4; Class II & III, Division 1, Groups E,F,G T4 |
The markings above are as listed on RealWear's data sheet.[3]
The headset is rated IP66 against dust and water, is tested to MIL-STD-810G, and is designed to survive 2 meter drops onto concrete from any angle. RealWear rates it as fully operational from -20 °C to +50 °C.[3][5] The battery is not removable. The device is charged over a special micro-USB cable with an inline "safety box" that protects its safety circuits from power surges from chargers and computers that are not certified as intrinsically safe; RealWear says this is the only approved cable for charging the device and transferring files.[3][18]
The 2018 T1100S guide restricts operation to its specified conditions. It excludes Zones 0 and 20 and permits only i.safe MOBILE-approved accessories. Charging and physical data connections require an approved cable outside hazardous areas; approved audio headsets are an exception. Interface covers must otherwise remain closed, and damaged devices must be withdrawn from hazardous-area use.[2]
Display and wearing
The display is a 0.33 inch diagonal, 24-bit color LCD with WVGA (854x480) resolution, a 20 degree field of view and a fixed focus of 1 meter. RealWear describes it as outdoor visible.[3] It is a monocular design: the display pod sits at the end of a boom arm that can be worn over the left or right eye and flips out of the way when not in use.[3][6] RealWear advises users to view it with the dominant eye and to always wear eye protection with the device.[19]
The headset weighs 430 g. It can optionally snap into safety helmets, is designed to work with hard hats and bump caps, and can be used with safety glasses or corrective eyewear. Overhead straps and rear pads come in the box; hard hat clips and intrinsically safe earbud hearing protection rated at 33 dB NRR were optional accessories.[3]
Computing, audio and camera
The HMT-1Z1 uses a 2.0 GHz eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 with an Adreno 506 GPU, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, plus a microSD slot for cards up to 64 GB. Connectivity includes 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, and GPS, GLONASS and A-GPS positioning. A nine-axis inertial measurement unit combines an accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope.[3]
Firmware Release 12.6 notes state that the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band is disabled on devices sold to Israel and Bahrain.[13]
Four digital microphones with active noise cancellation are designed for voice recognition in up to 95 dBA of typical industrial noise. The internal loudspeaker is rated at 91 dB, and a 3.5 mm jack connects headphones or hearing protection.[3][6] The 16 MP camera has 4-image stabilization, phase-detection autofocus and an LED flashlight, and it records video at up to 1080p and 30 fps.[3] The 3400 mAh battery is rated by RealWear for a full shift of 8 to 10 hours of typical use.[3]
Software
The HMT-1Z1 is designed for hands-free voice control, with two dedicated keys: a power key and an application-specific action key. RealWear's WearHF interface runs on top of Android, and speech recognition is processed locally on the device.[3] The data sheet lists Android 8 (AOSP), included apps for document navigation, a camera with barcode reader, a video recorder and a media player, and voice support in 12 languages.[3] RealWear listed partner software for remote mentor video calling, document navigation, guided or digital workflows, mobile forms and industrial IoT data visualization.[3][5]
WearHF can activate onscreen labels by voice or assign numbered alternatives. The 2018 guide excludes My Programs, My Files and Document Viewer from up/down head-gesture scrolling.[2]
Firmware Release 12 moved the HMT-1Z1 to Android 10. It also added a new cloud dictation engine for RealWear's speech keyboard, improved video stabilization and Dutch as RealWear's 15th supported language.[4]
| Firmware release | Notable changes |
|---|---|
| 12.0 | Update to Android 10; security updates through January 2021; new cloud dictation engine; video stabilization improvements; Dutch language support[4] |
| 12.5 | Kiosk mode support, controllable from RealWear Cloud; security patches from late 2022[20] |
| 12.6 | Security updates through February 2023; RealWear Cloud Wi-Fi management; USB tethering from phones over RNDIS; final firmware for the device[13][14] |
Research
Stark and colleagues compared HMT-1Z1 and Vuzix M400 remote guidance with an unguided control. Nine combat medics were randomized equally between groups and performed fasciotomies on embalmed cadaver legs after a lecture. Surgeons supervised through Enovation Zaurus over laboratory Wi-Fi. All groups had median overall competence scores of 3/5. Mean times were 15:42 for RealWear and 17:45 for controls (minutes:seconds); the three-group difference was not statistically significant (P = .340). Median satisfaction with RealWear was 5/7. Four of six headset users had volume or brightness difficulties. The small laboratory trial tested neither patient outcomes nor battlefield connectivity; the authors also noted limited device experience and underused telestration.[21]
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | Single LCD monocular; 0.33 inch diagonal, 24-bit color[3] |
| Resolution | 854x480 (WVGA)[3] |
| Field of view | 20°[3] |
| Focus | 1 meter, fixed[3] |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, 2.0 GHz 8-core; Adreno 506 GPU[3] |
| Memory and storage | 2 GB RAM; 16 GB internal; microSD up to 64 GB[3] |
| Operating system | Android 6.0 (2018 guide); Android 8 AOSP (data sheet); Android 10 from firmware Release 12; WearHF interface[2][3][4] |
| Camera | 16 MP; video up to 1080p at 30 fps[3] |
| Audio | 4 digital microphones; 91 dB loudspeaker; 3.5 mm jack[3] |
| Battery | 3400 mAh Li-ion, non-removable; 8-10 hours typical use[3] |
| Weight | 430 g[3] |
| Protection | Intrinsically safe (ATEX/IECEx Zone 1, Class I Division 1); IP66; 2 meter drop; MIL-STD-810G[3] |
| Operating temperature | -20 °C to +50 °C[5] |
| Price | $5,250 hardware MSRP plus $750 future-device early access in a promotion valid through December 2023[1] |
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "HMT-1Z1 Early Access Program". RealWear. https://www.westbase.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/HMT-1Z1-Early-Access-Program.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "HMT-1Z1 User Guide, version 2 (20180427)". RealWear. https://realwear.setupmyhmt.com/pdf/HMT-1Z1_UG_English.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 "HMT-1Z1 Product Specifications (data sheet, version 22.5)". Westbase.io. RealWear. https://www.westbase.io/shop/files/product/wbteam/RealWear%20HMT-1Z1%20Data%20Sheet.pdf. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Firmware Release 12.0 Release Notes". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/firmware-release-12.0-release-notes. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "HMT-1Z1 Product Overview". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/hmt-1z1-product-overview. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "HMT-1Z1 Device Details". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/hmt-1z1-device-details. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "RealWear HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1 End of Security Update support notice". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/realwear-hmt-1-and-hmt-1z1-end-of-security-update-support-notice. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Damir Lokas (2018-05-22). "RealWear Is First to Bring Augmented Reality Head Mounted Wearable Computing to Intrinsically Safe Environments". Display Daily. https://displaydaily.com/realwear-is-first-to-bring-augmented-reality-head-mounted-wearable-computing-to-intrinsically-safe-environments/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Aaron Hand (2019-04-04). "Shell Gives Its Remote Workers a Heads Up". Automation World. https://www.automationworld.com/products/software/blog/13319722/shell-gives-its-remote-workers-a-heads-up. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Sam Sprigg (2020-02-24). "RealWear's HMT-1Z1 Augmented Reality headset chosen by Italian utility provider, Italgas". Auganix. https://www.auganix.org/realwears-hmt-1z1-augmented-reality-headset-chosen-by-italian-utility-provider-italgas/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Designing Intrinsically Safe Wearables for the Oil & Gas Industry". RealWear Blog. RealWear. 2024-01-10. https://www.realwear.com/blog/designing-intrinsically-safe-wearables-for-the-oil-gas-industry. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "Solvay relying on AMA's remote assistance for CAPEX projects and Application Development Lab". AMA. https://www.amaxperteye.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/AMA_CaseStudy_Solvay_EN_V-3.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-16.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 "Firmware Release 12.6 Release notes (HMT-1Z1)". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/firmware-release-12.6. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "RealWear Firmware Update and Support Policy". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/realwear-firmware-update-and-support-policy. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "RealWear Introduces Next-Gen Intrinsically Safe Wearable for Frontline Workers: Harnessing Safety, AI, Thermal Vision and 5G Innovation". RealWear Press Releases. RealWear. 2023-08-29. https://www.realwear.com/press-releases/realwear-introduces-next-gen-intrinsically-safe-wearable-for-frontline-workers. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions - RealWear Navigator Z1". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/realwear-navigator-z1-faqs. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "HMT-1Z1 Declaration of Conformity". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/hmt-1z1-declaration-of-conformity. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "HMT-1Z1 Charging Basics". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/hmt-1z1-charging-basics. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "HMT-1Z1 Safety Usage Warnings". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/hmt-1z1-safety-usage-warnings. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "Firmware Release 12.5 Release Notes". RealWear Knowledge Base. RealWear. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/firmware-release-125-hmt1z1. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ P. W. Stark et al. (2024). "Telemedicine-Guided Two-Incision Lower Leg Fasciotomy Performed by Combat Medics During Tactical Combat Casualty Care: A Feasibility Study". Military Medicine 189 (3-4): e645-e651. doi:10.1093/milmed/usad364. Retrieved 2026-10-16.