--- description: Find out why Guardhat HC1 Communicator is one of the best inventions of 2020. title: Guardhat HC1 Communicator: The 100 Best Inventions of 2020 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e7457fb29caa12a/698a143797cdffdbbb6bb5be/best-inventions-of-2020-HC-1-Communicator-8.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Nov 19, 2020 # The Smart Hard Hat Guardhat HC1 Communicator by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close  Courtesy For centuries, the humble hard hat has protected workers from head injuries. But industrial workers also face other dangers at work sites, where heavy machinery, confined spaces and hazardous materials can lead to injuries and even deaths. [Guardhat](https://www.guardhat.com/ "undefined")’s new tech-enabled hard hat, the HC1 Communicator, can help keep those workers safe. The Communicator monitors the wearer’s location in real time; allows them to make hands-free video and audio calls; and detects their proximity to hazardous materials, temperatures and moving equipment. Starting at $1,500, the high-tech hat isn’t cheap—but for teams looking to feel more secure while hard at work, it may be well worth it. _—Mariah Espada_ **Buy now:** [HC-1 Communicator](https://www.guardhat.com/hc1-communicator.php "undefined") Guardhat HC1 Communicator: The 100 Best Inventions of 2020 ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2020/5911407/hc-1-communicator/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2020/5911407/hc-1-communicator/"},"headline":"The Smart Hard Hat","datePublished":"2020-11-19T13:51:38.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-02T23:45:56.728Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2020/5911407/hc-1-communicator/","keywords":["list","franchise","best inventions","Best Inventions 2020"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e7457fb29caa12a/698a143797cdffdbbb6bb5be/best-inventions-of-2020-HC-1-Communicator-8.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"creator":"TIME Staff","articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e7457fb29caa12a/698a143797cdffdbbb6bb5be/best-inventions-of-2020-HC-1-Communicator-8.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2020/5911407/hc-1-communicator/","name":"The Smart Hard Hat"}}]}] ```