Smart glasses technology allows remote, real-time auditing of meat processors

After an Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) project that successfully introduced smart glasses technology to stream live vision from processing plants in Brisbane to international inspection agencies, AMPC turned its attention to the barriers to adoption of the technology more widely.

Remote viewing within a meat processing facility in real time can deliver significant gains in productivity, efficiency and risk mitigation. Performing on-site audits, training, maintenance and repair, and following complex task instructions is costly, takes time and is prone to human error. Add to this the complications of travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the heightened scrutiny of food exports, and the benefits of hands-free, remote access to meat processing plants in real time are clear.

The AMPC project identified and addressed the barriers to adoption of the new technology. After demonstrating the smart glasses and remote auditing software technology in more than 17 sites, the project was able to show that a fit-for-purpose solution was ready and available for use, and it provided a clear pathway for adoption. To support the uptake, business planning documentation and data requirements were developed and disseminated.

There are obvious benefits to industry. By having a trusted platform to display the food safety and supply chain used, industry is able to build trust by demonstrating its commitment to food safety and quality. The platform provides a centralised system to share data with government, third-party compliance agencies and customers, and it allows quick and easy traceback of imported products, reducing the time taken to investigate if a food safety issue occurs.