RealWear Navigator Z1
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| RealWear Navigator Z1 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | AR Glasses |
| Developer | RealWear |
| Manufacturer | RealWear |
| Announcement Date | 29 August 2023 |
| Release Date | 9 January 2024 |
| Price | US$6,250 (RealWear online store, with one year of Service & Support, September 2026) |
| Website | https://www.realwear.com/devices/navigator-Z1 |
| Predecessor | RealWear HMT-1Z1 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Android 12 (AOSP) with WearHF at launch; Ari OS 2.0 (Android 16) from July 2026 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm QCS6490 |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 128 GB |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Display | |
| Display | LCoS microdisplay, 24-bit color, 0.35 inch diagonal, on a six-way adjustable boom arm |
| Resolution | 1280 x 720 (HD) |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 24° |
| Horizontal FoV | 24° |
| Optics | |
| Ocularity | Monocular |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Internal 94 dB open-air loudspeaker; 3.5 mm audio jack |
| Microphone | Four digital microphones with active noise cancellation |
| Camera | 48 MP modular camera with PDAF and LED flashlight; optional FLIR Lepton 3.5 thermal camera |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth Low Energy 5.2, GPS, GLONASS, NavIC, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, SBAS |
| Ports | USB-C (data and charging), 3.5 mm audio |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 6E (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth Low Energy 5.2 |
| Battery Capacity | 2550 mAh Li-ion, removable (outside hazardous locations only) |
| Battery Life | Full shift (8-10 hours) with typical use (manufacturer claim) |
| Device | |
| Weight | 383 g |
| Material | LEXAN EXL9330 |
| Sensors | 9-DOF IMU (accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope) |
| Input | Voice commands; Power, Action and Volume keys |
RealWear Navigator Z1 is an augmented reality head-mounted display announced in 2023 and shipped from January 2024.[1][2] Made by RealWear, it is a voice-controlled, monocular wearable computer that is certified as intrinsically safe, so it can be used in hazardous areas where flammable gases, vapors or combustible dust may be present, such as oil and gas sites, chemical plants, pharmaceutical production and mines.[1][3] RealWear describes the device as assisted reality: its display is not see-through and sits on a boom arm just below the wearer's line of sight.[3][4]
The Navigator Z1 is the intrinsically safe member of RealWear's Navigator series and succeeds the RealWear HMT-1Z1. The RealWear Navigator 500 and RealWear Navigator 520 are the series' models for less restricted work areas.[2][5] It is built around a Qualcomm QCS6490 chipset and holds ATEX, IECEx and North American Class I, Division 1 certifications.[3]
Announcement and release
RealWear announced the Navigator Z1 on 29 August 2023 and opened pre-orders through its authorized resellers. The announcement planned shipments from November 2023 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific (including Japan), with North America following in February 2024. RealWear said at launch that the headset would carry ATEX Zone 1, CSA C1/D1 and IECEx certifications.[1] RealWear co-founder and CEO Chris Parkinson said: "With the launch of RealWear Navigator Z1, we're offering the smartest and lightest IS wearable with integrated battery available to frontline workers who work in some of the most challenging sites on earth."[1][6] Pre-release firmware for pre-release DVT2 units, built on Android 12 for model number T21S, was dated 23 August 2023.[7]
RealWear partners published statements of support on the same day, among them Qualcomm, TeamViewer, Zoom, Ericsson, HINDSITE, HUVR, Intoware, OverIT, Pexip, PTC (Vuforia) and Sysgration.[8] Ericsson described the device's use with its private 5G networks for mining and oil and gas sites, and HINDSITE referred to "forthcoming mining certifications".[8]
Shipping began on 9 January 2024, when RealWear announced at CES that the device had received ATEX and IECEx intrinsic safety certification. RealWear obtained the certification in consultation with i.safe MOBILE, which it described as a technology expert in IS product development. According to RealWear, it had received pre-orders from more than a dozen countries in the oil and gas industry, including a large order from a customer in Saudi Arabia. The first shipments went to Europe (including Germany, France and the Netherlands), the United Arab Emirates and most of the Asia-Pacific region. Orders for C1D1 zones in North America, Japan, Mexico and much of Latin America were to be fulfilled in March 2024.[2][9] i.safe MOBILE announced that it would sell the device from the end of the first quarter of 2024.[10]
In September 2026, RealWear's online store listed the Navigator Z1 at US$6,250 with one year of Service & Support, US$6,650 with two years and US$6,850 with three years. The box contains the headset, a battery pack, a tri-band strap, a protective EVA case, a Torx 8 screwdriver for removing the battery and camera, a USB Type-C to Type-A cable and a quick start guide.[4]
Design and hardware
Display
The display is a 24-bit color LCoS microdisplay with a 0.35 inch diagonal and a 24° field of view, rated by RealWear as outdoor visible. Its resolution is 1280 x 720 (HD). The display is mounted on a boom arm that adjusts six ways, works in front of either the left or the right eye, and flips out of the way when not in use.[3] It is not see-through.[4] RealWear says the display is 20% larger and has twice the resolution of the one on the HMT-1Z1.[5] Because of the higher resolution, RealWear noted that some apps may need to be optimized for the Navigator Z1, as with the Navigator 520.[5]
Processor and memory
The Navigator Z1 uses the Qualcomm QCS6490 platform, with a Kryo 670 CPU, the sixth-generation Qualcomm AI Engine and an Adreno 643 GPU at 812 MHz. It has 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage.[3] RealWear markets the chipset as the device's "AI Core" and says it is the most powerful processor in any RealWear device; the FAQ describes the RAM as four times that of the HMT-1Z1.[1][5]
Audio and voice control
Four digital microphones with active noise cancellation are used for voice recognition, which RealWear rates as accurate in up to 100 dBA of typical industrial noise. The internal open-air loudspeaker is rated at 94 dB and shows a visual warning that must be acknowledged above 80 dB; the standard acoustic output is below 76 dB. A 3.5 mm audio jack is also provided. RealWear specifies intrinsically safe ear bud hearing protection headphones (models H1100G and H1101G) and other accessories that comply with the certificate's entity parameters for use with the speaker and jack.[3]
Cameras
The main camera is a modular 48 MP sensor with phase-detection autofocus and an LED flashlight. It records video at up to 1080p at 60 fps, with more than 6x zoom in HD and video stabilization. The camera must be removed only outside the hazardous location.[3]
On 20 February 2024, RealWear announced that it would show the Navigator Z1 with a FLIR Lepton 3.5 thermal camera module, developed in collaboration with Teledyne FLIR, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (26-29 February 2024). RealWear called it "the first intrinsically safe assisted-reality thermal product" and listed equipment monitoring, pipeline inspections and gas leak detection among its oil and gas use cases.[11] RealWear had described the module as IS-certified and scheduled it for release in March 2024.[2] i.safe MOBILE lists the thermal sensor with a resolution of 160 x 120, a spectral range of 8-14 micrometers, a temperature detection range of -10 to +400 °C, a thermal sensitivity below 50 mK and a field of view of 57° horizontal (71° diagonal).[12] In its FAQ for the separate thermal module sold for the Navigator 500 series, which uses the same Lepton 3.5 sensor, RealWear notes that the Lepton 3.5 is a longwave camera, while most gas detection cameras for gases such as propane, methane and butane are midwave (3 to 5 micrometers).[13] RealWear's current store listing describes the product with a tiltable dual-camera system that combines a visual sensor with an integrated FLIR thermal sensor.[4]
Battery, ruggedization and connectivity
The 2550 mAh lithium-ion battery (model B21S) is removable. RealWear rates it for a full shift of 8 to 10 hours with typical use.[3] Unlike the hot-swappable external battery of the Navigator 500 series, the Navigator Z1's battery is held in place with screws to prevent accidental removal in hazardous zones; it can be removed only outside them, and the device and spare batteries may be charged only outside hazardous areas.[5][3]
The headset weighs 383 g. It is rated IP66 against dust and water, meets MIL-STD-810H, and is drop tested to 2 meters onto concrete. RealWear specifies an operating temperature of -20 °C to +55 °C.[3] The shell is made of LEXAN EXL9330, and the store listing gives the dimensions as 191 x 210 x 56 mm folded and 318 x 210 x 30 mm unfolded.[4] The device can be clipped into safety helmets or attached to bump caps and worn with safety glasses or corrective eyewear.[3]
Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax at 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz), Bluetooth Low Energy 5.2 and satellite positioning (GPS, GLONASS, NavIC, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS and SBAS). A 9-DOF inertial measurement unit combines an accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope. The dedicated keys are Power, Action and Volume up and down, and a single USB-C port handles data and charging.[3] RealWear also announced an optional intrinsically safe 5G solution.[1][5]
Specifications
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | 24-bit color LCoS microdisplay, 0.35 inch diagonal, monocular, 24° field of view[3] |
| Resolution | 1280 x 720 (HD)[3] |
| Chipset | Qualcomm QCS6490 (Kryo 670 CPU, Adreno 643 GPU)[3] |
| Memory and storage | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB internal storage[3] |
| Camera | 48 MP, PDAF, LED flashlight, modular; video up to 1080p at 60 fps[3] |
| Audio | Four digital microphones with active noise cancellation; 94 dB internal loudspeaker; 3.5 mm jack[3] |
| Battery | 2550 mAh Li-ion, removable; full shift (8-10 hours) with typical use[3] |
| Weight | 383 g[3] |
| Ruggedization | Intrinsically safe, IP66, MIL-STD-810H, 2 m drop[3] |
| Operating temperature | -20 °C to +55 °C[3] |
| Price | US$6,250 with one year of Service & Support (RealWear online store, September 2026)[4] |
Hazardous area certification
Intrinsic safety is a design and certification approach for electrical equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres. RealWear explains that such devices operate at low levels of electrical energy so that they cannot produce sparks or temperatures high enough to ignite flammable gases, vapors or dust, and that they are tested against standards such as the IEC 60079 series.[5] RealWear stated that certification required passing thermal, electrical integrity, mechanical durability, safety compliance and explosion-proof testing.[2]
The user guide lists the following certifications as of 21 March 2024 (the countries for IA, INMETRO and PCEC are as given by i.safe MOBILE):[3][12]
| Scheme | Marking |
|---|---|
| ATEX | II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb; II 2D Ex ib IIIC T200°C Db |
| IECEx | Ex ib IIC T4 Gb; Ex ib IIIC T200°C Db |
| IA (South Africa) | Ex ib IIC T4 Gb; Ex ib IIIC T200°C Db |
| North America | Intrinsically Safe Class I, Division 1, Groups A,B,C,D T4; Class II Division 1, Groups E,F,G T200°C; Class III |
| INMETRO (Brazil) | Ex ib IIC T4 Gb; Ex ib IIIC T200°C Db |
| PCEC (China) | Ex ib IIC T4 Gb; Ex ib IIIC T200°C Db |
i.safe MOBILE's current product page also lists further approvals: a Group I mining marking (I M1 Ex ia I Ma under ATEX and UKEX, Ex ia I Ma under IECEx and IA), UKEX for the United Kingdom, QPS for North America, TIIS for Japan and KCs for South Korea.[12]
Software and features
At launch the Navigator Z1 ran Android 12 (AOSP) with RealWear's WearHF hands-free interface, which operates the device through voice commands instead of touch.[3][5] Included applications are a document navigator, a camera with barcode reader, an audio recorder, a video recorder, a web page viewer, Cloud Sync, a media player, a calculator, a pedometer and a timer.[3] Device administrators can manage headsets through RealWear's cloud web portal, adding approved apps, changing settings and connecting remotely for troubleshooting.[1][6]
RealWear targets four main uses: remote collaboration and training, field service management, inspections and digital workflows.[5] The launch announcement named remote expert guidance through apps such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, hands-free work orders through field service management systems, and inspection rounds in which photos and dictated notes are uploaded and geocoded.[1] Most accessories for the Navigator 500 series also fit the Navigator Z1, although not all of them are rated for intrinsically safe zones.[5]
Firmware updates
Firmware release 1.1.4 for the Navigator Z1 and Z1+ entered early access on 1 February 2025 and general availability on 17 March 2025. It was still based on Android 12. It revised the voice engine with a new algorithm for voice recognition and noise cancellation, added a manual choice between high and low noise settings, added display scaling for users who cannot see all four corners of the screen, and allowed connection to RealWear Cloud over 4G LTE.[14]
On 16 July 2026 RealWear released Ari OS 2.0 as a maintenance release for the Navigator Z1 (build 2.0.4-24). It updated the device to Android 16 with security patches through May 2026 and brought the same Ari OS user experience used on RealWear's Arc 3 headset. The update reworked the onboarding flow, the home screen and the settings menu (renaming My Controls to My Settings) and added the Ari assistant, which users must explicitly opt into. Devices must first be on build 1.1.4-33 to receive it over the air.[15] When RealWear introduced Ari OS on 25 August 2026 as a voice-first operating system, it said the software was "available now on the RealWear Navigator Z1". Users could sign up for Ari, Ari Mobile and Ari Chat, with initial integrations for email, calendar and Microsoft Teams, and RealWear said support for other RealWear devices would follow.[16]
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "RealWear Introduces Next-Gen Intrinsically Safe Wearable for Frontline Workers: Harnessing Safety, AI, Thermal Vision and 5G Innovation". RealWear. RealWear, Inc.. 2023-08-29. https://www.realwear.com/press-releases/realwear-introduces-next-gen-intrinsically-safe-wearable-for-frontline-workers. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "RealWear Ships Most Advanced Rugged Enterprise Intrinsically Safe Smart Glasses, Readying Industrial Customers for AI Revolution". RealWear. RealWear, Inc.. 2024-01-09. https://www.realwear.com/press-releases/realwear-ships-most-advanced-rugged-enterprise-intrinsically-safe-smart-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 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 "RealWear Navigator Z1 User Guide". RealWear Support. RealWear, Inc.. 2024. https://support.realwear.com/hubfs/Z1%20User%20Guides/20240403%20RealWear%20NavZ1_UserGuide%20(English).pdf. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "RealWear Navigator Z1". RealWear Shop. RealWear, Inc.. https://shop.realwear.com/products/realwear-navigator-z1. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 "Frequently Asked Questions - RealWear Navigator Z1". RealWear Support. RealWear, Inc.. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/realwear-navigator-z1-faqs. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Rory Greener (2023-09-07). "How RealWear's Navigator Z1 Optimises Frontline Operations". XR Today. https://www.xrtoday.com/augmented-reality/how-realwears-navigator-z1-optimises-frontline-operations/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "RealWear Navigator Z1 Pre-Release Firmware". RealWear Support. RealWear, Inc.. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/realwear-navigator-z1-pre-release-firmware. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "RealWear Receives Industry Support for Intrinsically Safe RealWear Navigator Z1". RealWear. RealWear, Inc.. 2023-08-29. https://www.realwear.com/press-releases/realwear-receives-industry-support-for-intrinsically-safe-realwear-navigator-z1. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Abdul-Rahman Oladimeji Bello (2024-01-12). "Glasses can be smart too with the RealWear Navigator Z1". Interesting Engineering. https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/glasses-smart-realwear-navigator-z1. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "i.safe MOBILE and RealWear present REALWEAR NAVIGATOR Z1". i.safe MOBILE. 2024-01-10. https://www.isafe-mobile.com/en/company/news/detail/isafe-mobile-and-realwear-present-realwear-navigator-z1. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "ATEX Zone 1 Certified RealWear Navigator Z1 with Thermal Camera to unveiled at Mobile World Congress". RealWear. RealWear, Inc.. 2024-02-20. https://www.realwear.com/press-releases/navigator-z1-with-thermal-camera-to-be-unveiled-at-mobile-world-congress. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Realwear Navigator Z1". i.safe MOBILE. https://www.isafe-mobile.com/en/products/product-range/zone-1/21/realwear-navigator-z1. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "RealWear Thermal Camera Module FAQs". RealWear Support. RealWear, Inc.. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/thermal-camera-module-faqs. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "RealWear Navigator Z1 / Z1+ Firmware Release 1.1.4". RealWear Support. RealWear, Inc.. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/realwear-navigator-z1-firmware-release-1.1.4. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "Ari OS 2.0 MR for Navigator Z1 Release Notes". RealWear Support. RealWear, Inc.. 2026-07-16. https://support.realwear.com/knowledge/ari-os-2.0-mr-for-navigator-z1-early-access-release-notes. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "Introducing Ari OS: The Voice-First OS for the Real World". RealWear. RealWear, Inc.. 2026-08-25. https://www.realwear.com/press-releases/ari-os. Retrieved 2026-09-27.