BOOT Project – Operator Assistance Technology Implementation

The ESF-funded BOOT project evolved from the SALK innovation initiative and focuses on implementing Operator Assistance Technology (OAT) in SMEs. As part of the VLAIO Living Labs and the Flemish “Werkbaar Werk” (Workable Work) programme, BOOT investigates the feasibility and application of innovative technologies, aiming to raise awareness and guide companies toward these advancements. The project was conducted in cooperation with Flanders Make, VUB, HIVA/KULeuven, VDAB, and T2 campus.

A key element of BOOT is promoting workability through technological tools. For example, Bewel, a large company in Limburg, used smart glasses and augmented reality to deploy technical teams more efficiently across nine sites, reducing unnecessary travel by enabling remote interventions. Another case is Buseloc, a sheltered workplace in Peer, where digital work instructions were developed for Ukrainian employees engaged in mattress stitching, facilitating faster job rotation and new position adaptation.

The project also focused on the impact of technology on workability, particularly in preventing “technostress” and adapting workstations with digital tools, in collaboration with the specialized department at UHasselt.