I can see how live video features might be interesting in principle, like there is a problem on the job site so you just call in to your boss at home base and show them your helmet cam while you work

But in practice, why wouldn’t you just use your phone (or a cheap android work phone in general) for that, rather than a hard hat (which should be replaced when they do their primary safety job)? You could even put a little strap on your phone that could attach it on your regular helmet to show your POV or function as a headlamp. All this stuff doesn’t need to be built into the helmet and would probably work better if they just used Teams app or something similar.

They should just make head straps for existing work gear basically.

More people would have access to more of it if more could be produced. And even at current prices, the producers who currently manually process it generally work thankless, fairly physically taxing and unrewarding jobs. There is clearly not enough value present for it to be produced manually at a fair price.

This process is obviously begging to be mechanized.

Actually ripping them out is simpler and more effective. Plants contain quite a lot of water and lasers are really not very efficient and effective in that use case.

Now make it work on saffron stigmas