NEC has launched the Tele Scouter, a lightweight device worn by the user which can flash images to the eye, according to media reports.

The Tele Scouter features a display mounted on the head that “projects its screen onto the naked eye,” according to PC World.

It relies on small computers to communicate with a video output, the company explained in a press release.  

“The computer is about the size of a thick paperback and can be worn clipped on a belt, while the display is mounted to a pair of clear glasses so that it can be viewed alongside the real world,” PC World explained. “Viewers experience images as thought they were being seen on a 16-inch, 800-by-600 resolution screen from a meter away.”

The product will be targeted at factory workers and later aimed at “entertainment” and “augmented reality applications,” PC World reports.

It likely uses include workers reading manuals or other content, according to media reports. It can also be used in conjunction with bar code readers and sensors.

The headset also features a camera and microphone.

Additional software lets supervisors located at a control center “to share images and chat with workers over WiFi,” PC World says. In addition, by using video and audio from remote locations, workers can avoid “accidents or problems,” the company said.

And with the use of microphones and earphones, the device can be used for workers involved in maintenance and assembly, or for those working out in the field, the company says in the press release.

It can also be used for speech recognition, augmented reality and data in the cloud, according to the company statement.

The device makes it easy to adjust the head-mounted display allowing for improved visibility, the company said. The device is also compact and lightweight, which makes it easier for busy workers, who will have free use of their hands. The device also allows for users to communicate with Bluetooth.

NEC wants to sell some 1,000 systems in the next three years, according to media reports. The device will cost $5,200 a unit. The control system software will cost $26,000, according to a company statement.

In related company news, TechZone360 reports that NEC was taking part in October’s IP EXPO in London, where it displayed integrated business solutions for IT functions.