Cool. Presumably they're already doing this, but I'd really recommend observation to understand the environment in which the product will be used and then following up with user tests as they prototype. There can be some surprising or unintuitive ergonomic concerns around heavy machinery. For example, factory equipment with automated movement often requires two-handed operation. Even if it could be operated with one hand, many machines will have two buttons--one on either side of the machine--which must be pressed simultaneously. This ensures the operator's hands are out of harm's way during the automated movement. If the operator takes a hand off of a button to perform a hand-based gesture, the machine comes to a halt. Also, operators tend to develop a flow as they perform repetitive operations. If a tool breaks that flow, it will likely be rejected or abused.

It sounds like your acquaintances are targeting service technicians, not necessarily factory workers, so the above examples might not apply, but I'd imagine their targeted industry has its own ergonomic concerns.

Sorry to ramble at you. Just excited because it sounds cool.

That's an interesting idea, but doesn't it add significant training overhead? The value of voice commands is that the user is already fluent in the basic language of the interface, even if the specific commands still need to be learned.

I played with a demo, and no, it doesn't add significant training overhead. It's less like Minority Report and more like an iPad attached to your face.