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Industry

Is the Industrial Metaverse the Key to Industry 5.0? Unveiling the Transformative Power of IIoT, XR, Digital Twins and Beyond

Over the past decade, emerging technologies have been a captivating landscape of exciting advancements. We’ve witnessed the astonishing rise of augmented reality (AR) applications, capturing our imaginations and captivating audiences through groundbreaking experiences like the phenomenon that was Pokémon Go. Similarly, the Internet of Things (IoT) and its industrial counterpart, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), have surged onto the scene, promising transformative capabilities and revolutionizing our connected world. These technological marvels have etched themselves into our collective consciousness alongside notable innovations such as 5G, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and the ephemeral splendour of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

However, amidst this ever-evolving technological tapestry, it is time to spotlight the emergence of a new prodigy: the Industrial Metaverse.

This is the inaugural instalment of a series that delves into the intricate realms of the Industrial Metaverse and the transformative capabilities of digital twin technologies. In this series, we will navigate through the uncharted territories of this technological epoch.

So, what is the Industrial Metaverse, and what untapped potential does it hold within its ethereal embrace?

There might be many „eye rolling“ and silent sighs while drawing parallels between the Industrial Metaverse and the recent antics of the colossal entity known as Meta (formerly Facebook). There was even an excellent comedy jab from the Icelandic tourist board, ‚Welcome to the Icelandverse‘.

In a realm where the buzz is ceaseless, and the contenders are plentiful, this article aims to introduce an underdog that has the potential to reshape the very fabric of industrial operations. The Industrial Metaverse beckons, with its fusion of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), IIoT, and spatial computing technologies, to unveil a significant new frontier.

This prodigy represents far more than a fleeting appearance on the technological stage. It is a convergence of digital realms and physical realities, intertwining the virtual and the tangible to create an immersive, interactive, and collaborative tapestry. Like an architectural blueprint of the future, the Industrial Metaverse paints a vivid portrait of industrial landscapes, breathing life into the digital twins of our physical world.

Industrial Metaverse is entirely in its nascent form, predominantly associating it with just one state of technology like XR, or the consumer aspect is myopic. Its value goes beyond basic human entertainment or the commonly associated retail scope. It instead represents a massive opportunity and paradigm shift in industrial use cases. It is a combinatorial innovation space which ties together several technologies like extended reality (XR), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), 5G (6G already on the horizon), artificial intelligence (AI), non-fungible token (NFTs), and blockchain with a single digital thread.

Jon Radoff proposed a simplified framework to conceptualize the metaverse. It has seven layers that are deeply intertwined with each other.

No alt text provided for this image — Image Copyright: Bhaskar Mitra

Imagine for a moment the power of applying this visionary framework to unveil the very architecture of the Industrial Metaverse. Embracing this perspective allows us to grasp the intricate interplay of technologies, systems, and processes that converge within the Industrial Metaverse.

Industrial Metaverse heralds the advent of Industry 5.0, weaving a seamless tapestry that interconnects foundational technologies and processes prevalent across diverse industrial verticals. Within its embrace, a profound transformation takes root, magnifying the visualization of processes, supply chains, and logistics. It further engenders a convergence of real-time information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) within the virtual realm. The result is a paradigm shift in engaging with this digital ecosystem, fostering a heightened sense of tactility and instantaneous feedback.

Brace yourself, for the Industrial Metaverse beckons, forging a new era of interconnectedness and innovation.

Quelle:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/industrial-metaverse-key-industry-50-unveiling-power-iiot-mitra/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via

15. Mai 2023 0 comment

Knowledge Software/Apps

Unity releases ‘Unity Industry’ solution for enterprises building real-time 3D experiences

Unity, a leading platform for creating and growing real-time 3D (RT3D) content, has announced ‘Unity Industry,’ a set of optimized products and services that enterprises across manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, retail and other industries, can leverage to build and deploy interactive real-time experiences.

According to Unity, its new Unity Industry solution enables enterprise customers of all sizes to gain a competitive advantage by transforming their 3D data to digital assets, getting significantly more value from them, reducing time to market, and optimizing resources. From human-machine interfaces (HMI) to product visualization to sales configurators to smart factories, digital twins, and simulation, Unity Industry enables customers to create and collaborate in real time and turn every user touchpoint into immersive and interactive real-time 3D experiences on any device anywhere across web, mobile, PC, augmented reality (AR), and more.

“Real-time 3D is a catalyst for change at every part of the value chain and across every industry,” said Marc Whitten, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Unity Create Solutions. “Unity Industry will provide enterprises with the essential tools to accelerate their digital transformation and build the next generation of digital twins and immersive experiences.”

Unity industry’s development tools and enterprise-level support include:

Unity Enterprise – Allows enterprises to manage complex real-time 3D projects across teams using built-in support and creation tools that scale. Includes extended three-year long-term support (LTS) and read-only source code access;
Industry Success – Exclusive to Unity Industry to overcome challenges faster with dedicated success advisors, professional training and onboarding, and rapid-response support;
Pixyz Plugin – Enterprises can import more than 40 3D, CAD, and BIM file types to bring source data into Unity’s real-time 3D platform;
Unity Mars – Efficiently creates AR apps with better workflows and purpose-built authoring tools;
Unity Build Server – Enterprises can utilize on-premises solutions to build Unity projects for faster project build testing as they scale, regardless of network restrictions.

For more information on Unity Industry, please visit the company’s website.

Quelle:

Unity releases ‘Unity Industry’ solution for enterprises building real-time 3D experiences

Image credit: Unity

9. Mai 2023 0 comment

Examples Knowledge Metaverse

HoloLens 2 Empowers BMW China Training Academy to Create a “Futuristic” Training and Shopping Experience

With cutting-edge training concept, leading digital platform, and state-of-the-art equipment, BMW China Training Academy is committed to providing engaging, inspiring, and innovative learning experiences for the dealers and their employees by adopting the latest technologies. BMW China Training Academy is now adopting HoloLens 2 widely by 3D rendering the car models 1:1 to provide a disruptive and immersive training and car shopping experience, and thus driving business growth for BMW in China.

BMW China Training Academy is BMW’s professional training and consulting division for products, sales management, and post-sale training, as well as HR management services for BMW dealers. With its four training centers, BMW China Training Academy has provided outstanding training services to 661,800+ employees of 600+ BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad dealers in China since its establishment in 2006. Just as we could not imagine the popularity of smartphones 20 years ago, we may not be able to fully envision the untapped potential of Mixed Reality in retail sphere. At BMW China Training Academy, we want to deliver a futuristic user experience like no other using the cutting-edge HoloLens 2 for our customers.

Pu Qinyang: Senior e-Learning Specialist

BMW China Training Academy

Do more with less: Speed up new car launch through immersive training

BMW has 600+ dealers in China. For them, the real challenge is that vehicles are quickly evolving, but they don’t have enough time to thoroughly study new models. BMW China Training Academy has been looking for new methods to make sure that the salespersons across the country can learn about and expertise with the newly launched models and their features as soon as possible.

Traditional training methods rely mainly on 2D images and audios, such as promotion videos, H5 programs, and PDF documents. Training packs as such not only takes a long time to prepare, but also fail to deliver selling points accurately and intuitively. Especially for the BMW NEVs launch in China, it’s hard to apply the know-hows from the previous gasoline cars on new energy cars directly, of which it almost doubled training burden on BMW’s salesforce.

With Mixed Reality, however, BMW China Training Academy is reshaping its training experiences. They developed a Mixed Reality car viewing app for BMW NEVs with capabilities offered by the Microsoft Mixed Reality Partner Program (MRPP). This application allows the user to see through the car with its actual size and building materials. It can also demonstrate features of a new model interactively and immersively , so that the salespersons can learn the new features intuitively and quickly. This contributes to less training time yet yields better results. „HoloLens 2 has made training much more efficient for us, so that our salespersons can get ready faster for the launch of new cars,“ said one of the dealers.

Seeing is believing. A manager at the local dealer says that their salespersons feel training session are becoming “more attractive” because of HoloLens 2. As a result, salesforces are more concentrated and engaged. A chart of features is projected to the real car, making it much easier for sales to understand. Some salespersons even reported that “memorizing becomes a natural process”, and that they even “don’t really need to a script to demo confidently”.

Thorough understanding for higher sales conversion rate

“Thorough understanding” constitutes a critical stage of automobile purchase journey since car prices are highly relevant with its complex functionalities and adopted technologies, Especially for NEVs and smart vehicle. The buyers are relatively new to their features and functionalities, and they usually turn to an informed salesperson for advice. With the spatial anchors, object anchors and remote rendering capability of Azure Mixed Reality PaaS solution, HoloLens 2 constructed an immersive Mixed Reality environment for customers to explore and thoroughly understand the new models, which effectively boost sales conversion rate and customer experience

Rendering a digital model in a physical environment enables the user to “see through” a car, and to examine its materials and complex structure, including its chassis, its suspension, and its electric drive system (EDS). A potential BMW customer wearing HoloLens 2 can virtually walk around a disassembled car and click on different parts to listen to explanations. By clicking on the EDS, they can hear the professional explanation about its key structure and understand why the EDS of BMW NEVs is exceptional.

With HoloLens 2, customers can also “experience” new model’s performance better in a real-world environment. HoloLens 2 “brings” road to life and allow the customer to actually “feel” the operation of various advanced and intelligent features, when they click on a module such as the warning system, the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) and the automated parking assist (APA) system. Some advanced features that were difficult to explain in the past now can be experienced intuitively. For example, through the display of virtual radar waves in the digital space, customers can clearly see where the radars in a real car are located and see how the radars help to ensure safety.

This Mixed Reality experience that BMW China Training Academy made possible with HoloLens 2 serves is not only a booster for in-store visits, but also as a powerful instructor to demonstrate a car’s components, functionalities, and safety features, and thus making decision process simpler for potential customers.

A futuristic experience: Reimagine brand touchpoints

“Just as we could not imagine the popularity of smartphones 20 years ago, we may not be able to fully envision the untapped potential of Mixed Reality in retail sphere. At BMW China Training Academy, we want to deliver a futuristic user experience like no others, using the cutting-edge HoloLens 2 for our customers,” said Pu Qinyang, Senior e-Learning Specialist, BMW China Training Academy, who believes leverage MR to deliver innovative car shopping experience is a trend in the future.

With HoloLens 2, consumers can see the details of a car at any BMW dealer in China and learn about various features in an immersive manner. Besides, their virtual car viewing experience is both practical and futuristic. With more and more automakers trying to make smart NEVs the third interfaces after computers and phones, being cool and futuristic itself is indeed a strong selling point for NEVs.

Empowered by BMW China Training Academy, BMW dealers are making the best of this futuristic capability today. For example, to demonstrate BMW’s APA system, you can put on

HoloLens 2 to enter the virtual space and have an immersive view of a scenario with pedestrians, roads, and vehicles. One can handle like-real emergencies such as avoiding cars from behind. This will allow customers to have a deeper and vivid understanding of BMW’s safety features.

Brand loyalty is important for BMW, and its dealers play a critical role in delivering the brand’s customer experiences. Today’s consumers don’t just care about what products to buy. They also focus on the car buying experience. With the help of HoloLens 2, BMW China Training Academy is providing a futuristic in-store experience. This is in line with BMW’s commitment to technology and innovation. It also provides a new idea on how to extend brand experiences into stores for the auto industry and the retail industry.

Be the first to get into the industrial metaverse

BMW’s use of HoloLens 2 and its collaboration with Microsoft’s Mixed Reality team are well-received by its internal teams and its dealers.

Next, Microsoft will help BMW develop more business scenarios based on HoloLens 2, and extend scope to include all its NEV models. In addition, Microsoft will also support the adoption of MR at BMW dealers across the country and meet BMW’s retail and exhibition needs. With the help of Microsoft Azure PaaS, BMW will be able to create its own metaverse.

In the future, the Microsoft HoloLens 2 team will work with the MRPP partners to further expand the ecosystem and drive MR innovation in the auto industry.

Quelle:

https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/7c895f88-b9dc-44fa-841a-02bcaf3c4e70?preview=1

20. Januar 2023 0 comment

Examples

Is XR ‘Taking Off’ for the Commercial Aviation Industry?

The commercial aviation industry has earned a crucial ally in its operations. According to Allied Market Research, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) aviation markets are expected to reach $23.6 by 2031.

Following the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, aviation companies will have to recover and approach the next decade with fresh approaches. Getting passengers back in friendly skies will take immense effort, namely as airlines struggle with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 grounding and the current upskilling crisis.

Extended reality (XR) tools will allow manufacturers, airlines, and customers to leverage immersive tools capable of empowering the commercial aviation market. Aerospace firms such as Boeing and Airbus can advance manufacturing capabilities for an already backlogged series of orders.

Conversely, airlines can train the next generation of pilots with cutting-edge flight simulation solutions for rapid upskilling. Additionally, customers can view tourist destinations with mixed reality (MR) headsets to plan their next getaway.

Which Commercial Aviation Firms Offer XR Solutions?

According to some of the latest initiatives, here is how the commercial aviation industry is employing AR, VR, and MR solutions:

Commercial Aviation Training

Varjo, a Helsinki-based tech firm, has been leading the charge in training solutions with its recently released Aero headset. The enterprise-first device offers some of the most advanced simulation tools to train pilots with minimal setup.

Major organisations such as the European Aviation Safety Administration (EASA) have certified the solution for deployment to any global location. With a graphics-intensive PC, select NVIDIA graphics processing unit Varjo Aero headset, and simulator module, pilots can train to industry standards with equipment meeting strict aviation regulation standards.

This saves companies massive amounts of money on training pilots, allowing professionals to train ‘on the fly’ with the world’s most advanced equipment. Operators can purchase whole training solutions for frequent, scalable instruction, eliminating the need for costly pilot simulation centres.

Remote Guidance for Inspections

In addition to training, commercial aviation firms are also leveraging AR systems to boost turnaround times for aircraft inspections. For example, Taqtile completed its Hangar 51 accelerator programme to facilitate remote guidance tools for airports.

Inviting around 75 companies to participate in the accelerator, Taqtile collaborated with the International Airlines Group (IAG) to demo digital transformation tools for aviation repair and maintenance operations.

The 10-week course instructed aviation staff on using its Manifest platform. Trainees could use Microsoft HoloLens 2 and Magic Leap headsets, as well as tablets and smartphones for the platform.

With the immersive kit, workers could overlay manuals, holograms, and video guides on physical aircraft repair walkthroughs. Such immersive tools dramatically reduced repair times, personnel deployment costs, and equipment downtimes.

Airport Customer Experiences

Additionally, airports are tapping the latest immersive kit to engage with passengers, namely following a partnership between Accenture and Singapore’s Changi Airport Groups (CAG).

The deal will provide immersive experiences for passengers with XR, the internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, across touchpoints at the world-class airport.

It will also engage customers with digital loyalty programmes, allowing CAG customers to earn points for purchases and flying. Additional emerging technologies will identify and access commercial aviation passengers for data privacy and added security at the facility.

Other nations are promoting the travel industry post-pandemic, with many nations creating sovereign metaverses to showcase national tourism initiatives. Nations such as Barbados, South Korea, Catalonia (Spain), Dubai, and Norway are creating virtual spaces to attract new fliers to top tourist destinations.

The news comes after the World Economic Forum (WEF) found XR could help the global tourism industry recover post-pandemic. The organisation stated immersive technologies could become a “game-changer” with a “seamless, uninterrupted interactive experience.”

Figures from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) revealed an 87 percent plummet in tourism amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic since 2020.

In-Flight Entertainment

In the future, passengers could enjoy new approaches to in-flight entertainment. This will become a real possibility with airlines offering immersive movies and games for long-haul flights.

British Airways recently trialled SkyLights, an in-flight VR entertainment firm, to offer VR headsets for Airbus A340 passengers. The former Hangar 51 alumnus demoed the immersive entertainment system in 2019 to host films, documentaries, and travel programmes.

The commercial aviation carrier was also the first in the United Kingdom to ‘pilot’ the system. This has allowed passengers that fear flying to access therapeutic programmes for meditation and sound therapy.

Skylights has received praise from reviewers, with over 90 percent recommending its use. The startup has also recorded average use rates of 4 hours or more, figures show.

Similar solutions have surfaced in the automotive industry, with Audi-backed VR entertainment firm holoride debuting its latest system. The acclaimed console has reshaped road journeys for families.

With HTC VIVE Flow goggles, passengers can play VR games while travelling to their destinations. Additionally, holoride taps the vehicle’s travel data to sync gameplay with real-world conditions.

With the continued advancement of immersive technologies, large enterprises to startups are learning the immense benefits of using XR technologies.

These new spatial computing tools are making commercial aviation a safer, faster, and more comfortable industry. With them, airlines and their passengers reap the rewards for current and future generations.

Quelle:

https://www-xrtoday-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.xrtoday.com/mixed-reality/is-ar-and-vr-in-commercial-aviation-taking-off/amp/

19. Dezember 2022 0 comment

Examples

Foresight Williams invests £2.5M growth capital into Kognitiv Spark to help expand its AR Remote Assist solution into new industries and geographies

The Foresight Williams Technology Fund, a joint venture between Foresight and Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), has this week announced a GBP £2.5 million growth capital investment into Kognitiv Spark, a provider of industrial augmented reality (AR) solutions that is commercializing its software that provides 3D data to support field service workers in remote locations.

Kognitiv Spark’s commercially available solution allows for the real-time sharing of 3D data sets and is able to maintain a stable video connection even in low bandwidth environments. Furthermore, the solution offers “defence-grade” security, according to the company.

The installation and maintenance of assets in the field can often require expert teams to travel, sometimes thousands of miles, all of which increases time, cost and greenhouse gas emissions. Kognitiv Spark’s product, RemoteSpark, is an augmented reality software package that enables the sharing of complex and critical data between a desk-based expert and a field-based worker.

The platform consists of a desktop application and an application that runs on an AR device. When a call is made between the two devices it provides a desk-based expert with a livestream of the workers’ point of view. Experts are then able to share PDF documents, 3D images and animations in real-time. Both the worker and expert can annotate assets during the call, and the platform allows for hands-free, voice-controlled operation, making it easier for the worker to complete tasks.

According to Williams Advanced Engineering, the growth capital will enable Kognitiv Spark to expand into new industries and geographies via new sales and marketing teams in the US and UK, as well as support the ongoing development of further products. The company also hopes to work with the WAE team in order to tap into WAE’s network of automotive, aerospace, industrial and manufacturing customers within the UK and EU markets.

Matthew Burke, Head of Technology Ventures at WAE, commented: “We are delighted to support Yan and the wider team at Kognitiv Spark with this investment. As well as introducing the company to our partners and customers, many of which have engineering, manufacturing and maintenance operations spread across the globe, we continue to explore applications of Kognitiv Spark’s remote support technology within WAE’s operations.”

Yan Simard, CEO at Kognitiv Spark, added: “We are incredibly pleased to be partnering with Foresight Williams as Kognitiv Spark continues to expand strategically on a global scale. The investment level by Foresight Williams signifies not only to us, but the mixed reality sector as a whole, that the time is now to focus on growth and solidifying our place in the market.”

For more information on Kognitiv Spark and its RemoteSpark augmented reality for remote assist, please visit the company’s website.

Quelle:

https://www.auganix.org/foresight-williams-invests-2-5m-growth-capital-into-kognitiv-spark-to-help-expand-its-ar-remote-assist-solution-into-new-industries-and-geographies/

Image credit: Kognitiv Spark

1. April 2022 0 comment

Examples

Autodesk to acquire The Wild, a provider of XR solutions for immersive and collaborative workspaces for AEC industry

Autodesk, Inc., a provider of software that includes AutoCAD, Revit, Maya, 3ds Max, Fusion 360, SketchBook, and more, has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire The Wild, a cloud-connected, extended reality (XR) platform, which includes its namesake solutions, The Wild, and IrisVR.

Autodesk stated that the acquisition will enable the company to meet increasing needs for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology advancements within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry and further support AEC customers throughout the project delivery lifecycle.

“Our acquisition of The Wild reflects the rapid transformation taking place in the building industry, from the complexity of projects to the geographic diversity of teams who design, construct, and operate them,” said Andrew Anagnost, CEO and President, Autodesk. “XR is a must-have business imperative for today and an important part of Autodesk’s Forge platform vision.”

The Wild enables AEC professionals to present, collaborate and review projects together in immersive and interactive environments for real-time ideation and decision making. Teams can work together inside digital project models to explore, interact, and make changes to models directly in the cloud, which can lead to better decisions and project outcomes at a fraction of the time and cost compared to in-person collaboration methods.

With the company’s two platforms serving more than 700 customers worldwide, The Wild and IrisVR draw data from various AEC technologies into their respective XR collaborative experiences to perform design review and model coordination. Cumulatively, existing integrations include Autodesk Construction Cloud (Autodesk BIM 360, Autodesk Build), Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Navisworks, as well as other non-Autodesk technologies, Rhinoceros and Trimble SketchUp.

“The Wild and Autodesk share a common mission of encouraging a more productive and collaborative AEC industry, and in this case, one where teams can resolve issues in minutes from their desks rather than the traditional miles of costly travel,” said Gabe Paez, founder and CEO of The Wild. “The Wild’s customers understand the value from the get-go, building consensus as a team in the virtual world with the ability to make changes to their designs at the speed of thought.”

Tier 1 global engineering and construction firm Black & Veatch, which has more than USD $3 billion in annual revenue, utilizes The Wild’s IrisVR solution, along with a wide range of Autodesk solutions to enable many of its teams to successfully deliver projects around the world.

Commenting on IrisVR’s ability to enhance engagement and collaboration for distributed work groups and stakeholders, Brian Melton, Black and Veatch’s Technology Innovation Lead, said: “This type of spatial real-scale immersive experience is a game-changer for our professionals… Autodesk’s acquisition of The Wild could create an even more seamless integration of VR into the platforms we use, leading to wider adoption, more capabilities and a shift from what was once sci-fi to a daily activity.”

Autodesk noted that it is making this investment in XR for several reasons, including:

Resiliency – The need for greater workforce resiliency and remote collaboration has increased significantly amid the global pandemic. With physical distancing and ever-evolving travel restrictions, XR solutions offer a way to virtually keep teams together and projects moving with minimal interruption.

Accessibility and Affordability – Until recently, the cost of professional grade VR/AR equipment was unattainable for many. Now, headsets cost a few hundred dollars instead of thousands, and most smart phones support AR – putting the power of XR into the hands of anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Sustainability – In-person collaboration often requires costly travel and unnecessarily contributes to harmful carbon emissions. Plus, when teams cannot meet to work through design issues together, expensive rework and significant material waste are often a consequence. Offering streamlined, instantaneous, and immersive cloud collaboration allows teams to save time, money, and materials.

Nic Fonta, General Manager of XR at Autodesk, added: “A convergence of events makes this the right time for Autodesk’s acquisition of The Wild’s talent and technology as the foundation of Autodesk’s XR journey. Accessibility, affordability, as well as the future of digital twins and metaverse, create the right environment and business rationale for advancing XR technology within the AEC industry.”

For more information about Autodesk and its solutions for the AEC industry, click here. To find out more about The Wild and its immersive immersive XR platform for AEC, click here.

Quelle:

https://www.auganix.org/autodesk-to-acquire-the-wild-a-provider-of-xr-solutions-for-immersive-and-collaborative-workspaces-for-aec-industry/

Image / video credit: Autodesk / The Wild / YouTube

29. März 2022 0 comment

Examples

XR Case Study in Focus: ABB, Unity, and Microsoft

ABB Uses Unity and Microsoft to Innovate in Field Maintenance

Leading Industrial Solutions company, ABB, is committed to helping businesses achieve smarter operations through the use of transformative software, equipment, and services.

To stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly-evolving landscape, ABB frequently experiments with new technology solutions from market leaders like Microsoft and Unify.

As part of a strategy to enhance field maintenance procedures, and minimise the paperwork involved in service tasks, ABB turned to Unity for support, a market leader in XR software.

The disruptive AR ecosystem offered by Unity allowed ABB to create a digital field operator system, intended to enhance the performance of their field service team.

According to Digital Scouting and Innovation experts from ABB, Maciej Włodarczyk and Rafał Kielar, the multi-platform application built with Unity can run both on the Microsoft HoloLens mixed reality device, and mobile devices.

Used correctly, the system can improve the safety and efficiency of field service operators maintaining and servicing equipment on a host of industrial sites.

Leveraging AR with Unity and Microsoft

ABB shared an insight into its unique approach to enhancing field services with AR as part of a Unity webinar. The team revealed Unity and Microsoft Technology together allowed staff members to access a new level of innovative insights on the move.

At the same time, implementation of Microsoft HoloLens 2 headsets allowed ABB to update the workplace even further, with AR-enabled training, guidance, and intelligent maintenance.

For ABB customers, there are two key members of personnel involved in the maintenance and management of equipment. First are the field operators responsible for servicing and maintaining equipment in the physical world.

Secondly, there are the control room operators responsible for supervising the maintenance or repair process. These control room operators are located in a completely different part of the facility.

According to ABB, the complex and dangerous nature of the tasks involved in a field operator’s schedule has forced the company to invest in time-consuming, complex, and expensive training programs for members of staff in the past. While these strategies did offer some level of support to professionals, there were severe limitations in the traditional training process.

Once field workers transitioned to active work on the field, the ABB team struggled to assign and track performed service procedures, often managed via paper documents.

This led to significant communication issues between control room and field operators, who needed to exchange information in real-time to perform efficiently.

Overcoming Challenges with Disruptive Technology

Using the Unity Editor environment for software creation, and Microsoft’s Toolkit for Mixed Reality innovation, ABB was able to rapidly create prototypes for field service applications.

Within very little time, the company managed to build a production-ready application. The software, (named ABB Ability) completely digitizes the field operator experience with access to remote-enabled augmented reality innovations.

The application offers a host of advantages over the traditional workflow, which was commonly reliant on a number of difficult-to-track paper documents.

The new system allows any field operator in the ABB team to follow more digitized procedures, and access expertise without having to invest in costly training processes. The solution also ensures field and distributed control systems can be integrated to enable more efficient real-time data capture.

The newly created and AR-enhanced environment minimizes the frustrations and confusion of processing paper-based forms, while giving field service agents more support in the moment.

The system also makes sure the latest version of a procedure for service is always the one a professional can follow by eliminating outdated documents. With Microsoft Remote Assist, field and control room operators can also connect in real-time to discuss concerns.

According to Włodarczyk and Kielar, one of the most impressive things about the HoloLens ecosystem and the software created through Unity, was the user interface.

The ABB team was able to build an intuitive environment for their staff members, with a UI which didn’t obscure the view of the user, while still giving them access to critical information.

To minimize clutter in the field agent’s view, the company also implemented the opportunity to access navigation menus on request through the Unity software. This allows team members to view the information they need in a customized fashion.

Unlocking New Benefits for Field Agents

As one of the leading Fortune 500 companies driving digital transformation in an industrial environment, ABB is no stranger to innovative technologies like extended reality.

The company believes solutions like augmented reality could be a major factor in ensuring the efficiency and productivity of employees in a transforming field services landscape.

According to Włodarczyk and Kielar from ABB, augmented reality experiences enabled by Unity and Microsoft are transforming the training and guidance strategies they can implement for their team.

Through Unity’s convenient software environment, the ABB developers were even able to automate as much of the experience as possible by minimizing the number of interactions a user needed to perform to gain access to valuable information. Staff members could request the interaction mode of their choice to leverage information, from gaze and gesture control to voice commands.

Going forward, ABB will be continuing to experiment with innovative technology to support and empower its employees. The company takes a measured and strategic approach to rolling out solutions for their workforce, sharing new applications and innovations with a few initial users at first before introducing the wider workforce.

If ABB’s experience with Unity and Microsoft inspires you to begin your own industrial adventure into the AR environment, there are several additional resources available from Unity.

You can check out the Unity industrial collection for further insights or access one of the company’s various knowledgebase articles for information on how to begin developing applications which work with tools like Microsoft HoloLens 2.

Quelle:

XR Case Study in Focus: ABB, Unity, and Microsoft

25. Februar 2022 0 comment

Examples

The State of XR in the Field Service Industry 2022

An Introduction to Extended Reality in Field Services

Extended Reality is helping to pave the way to the “new normal” of the post-pandemic world. Enabling a better level of communication, collaboration, and creativity, XR supports businesses in a host of valuable use cases.

In the field services sector, the benefits of extended reality could be particularly compelling. Field services naturally operate in fluid, remote, and versatile environments, with decentralised management and disparate remote workers.

As the needs of consumers have advanced, the remote functions of field services staff are evolving. Extended reality could have the power to enable, empower, and educate these team members on the move.

As the market value for extended reality hits a CAGR of around 30.6% leading up to 2026, the potential of the landscape is endless. Let’s explore the state of XR in field services.

The Evolution of XR in Field Services

We’re in the midst of a digital revolution, where the physical and virtual worlds are increasingly converging. Extended reality technologies are already helping to improve the way we collaborate, strengthen the performance of distributed teams, and provide access to valuable training opportunities.

In field services, the goal of extended reality at present is to find ways of expediting processes, while minimizing costs and improving agent productivity.

Used correctly, a combination of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality experiences could lead to:

Improved collaboration: Through extended reality, team members can work together on complex tasks regardless of where they were in the world. An engineer in the field could reach out to specialists behind-the-scenes, so multiple people can work together on troubleshooting a complex problem.
Enhanced productivity: Professionals working with complex materials and devices could use tools like augmented reality smart glasses to overlay important information on top of a device, for quick and easy access to useful information, this reduces the amount of time employees need to spend seeking out solutions to problems in manuals.
Greater creativity: Manufacturers and professionals in a dispersed field service environment can work with colleagues on creative solutions to problems, without wasting resources or materials. In-field practitioners dealing with new technology could use something like AR or mixed reality to get real-time data on a component and come up with creative ideas on how to fix an issue as a result.
Better customer service: With extended reality to provide employees with access to more of the information required to make instant split-second decisions, end-users can benefit from faster service and better overall experiences. This can help strengthen the reputation of various brands and make field employees feel more satisfied in their roles.

Trends Driving XR in Field Services

As we can see, extended reality has a lot of benefits to offer the field services landscape when used correctly.

While there are various directions this environment could move in as we progress through 2022 and beyond, there are some trends which seem to be having a significant impact on the nature of XR in field services today, such as:

Better employee experiences: As consumers become more demanding and field service challenges grow more complex, companies are looking for ways to support staff with better experiences. With extended reality, employees can access more of the information they need to make important decisions on the move, which helps to reduce the frustration in the day-to-day workplace. Employees can also access better training opportunities, to ensure they’re prepared for a wide range of challenges.
Hands-free productivity: AR wearable devices are becoming particularly compelling within the field services landscape. These tools allow technicians and engineers to operate hands-free, so they don’t have to juggle a range of tools to resolve an issue. The same technology can provide access to critical procedural information or allow team members to access guidance from specialists without needing to compromise on flexibility.
Improved efficiency: VR can train professionals to solve problems and complete tasks at an incredible pace, allowing for better efficiency in the workplace. At the same time, an AR headset can provide step-by-step directions to staff members, so they can complete tasks at speed. The right tools can even help field service technicians by giving them access to real-time data about the equipment they need to service.
Contactless work: In an era where bringing people together isn’t always possible, AR allows for everything from remote troubleshooting to the remote inspection of various tools. This can help to keep interactions as “contactless” as possible, while still ensuring the right level of work is carried out. Multiple people can even join forces to troubleshoot an issue and repair a machine together, without being present in the same environment.
Better safety management: Training is one of the most valuable use cases for businesses investing in extended reality. In a field service environment, an XR solution can be a perfect way to train staff members not only how to handle complex customer interactions, but also how to stay safe and secure in any environment.

The Challenges to Overcome

Field service companies are already beginning to rapidly incorporate all aspects of extended reality technology into their environments. AR-powered support in particularly is transforming the environment of remote maintenance and repair. According to Gartner, by 2025, around 50% of all field service management deployments will include Augmented Reality tools.

Of course, in any industry, there are challenges to overcome before extended reality can become a reliable tool for every employee. In the field services environment, there’s a growing focus on safety and security.

For instance, it’s important to ensure any AR headsets or wearables devices in the field aren’t distracting employees too much from what’s going on around them.

Additionally, when these devices are streaming data in real-time, often through the internet, additional steps will need to be implemented to ensure information remains secure.

Speaking of streaming information in a field services environment, the chances are this industry will become increasingly reliant on better connectivity afforded by options like 5G. This will be essential to ensuring teams can collaborate without lag.

Quelle:

The State of XR in the Field Service Industry 2022

25. Februar 2022 0 comment

Examples

3 Ways Augmented Reality Will Help Quality Managers

This article originally produced on IT For All, details 3 Ways Augmented Reality Will Help Quality Managers. Quality inspection is an integral part of any manufacturing process. Most manufacturers have a quality manager or quality inspector to ensure that products contain no defects. A quality manager’s job is to find flaws in the manufacturing line before products are sent out to customers, and augmented reality could help them improve quality management. By using augmented reality headsets when they become available, these quality managers will receive defect-finding assistance on their augmented reality headsets when visually inspecting products.

There are three ways that quality inspectors can benefit from augmented reality-equipped headsets:

Real-time Feedback with Computer Vision

Augmented reality-enabled headsets can provide real-time feedback to quality inspectors. By pairing an augmented reality (AR) headset (assuming it has a camera) with the latest computer vision software, an AI algorithm may be able to spot defects or anomalies in real-time. For example, industrial companies could integrate AI with upcoming AR headsets to automatically find flaws in production.

In layman’s terms, computer vision is the process of making sense of digital images. A computer can understand what is in an image and extract information from it. This can be used to detect objects, recognize faces, and track movement. For the industrial sector, computer vision helps find imperfections on surfaces or different pieces of equipment.

With augmented reality, headsets will provide real-time feedback to quality inspectors on the manufacturing floor. More importantly, AR headsets can superimpose graphics in the quality inspector’s field of view. By overlaying labels or annotations on top of the image, the quality inspector can be given feedback on what to look for and where to find it. This technique of defect superimposition will increase the accuracy of visual defect detection and the speed at which human inspectors do it.

Training and Guidance

New augmented reality technologies can also provide training and guidance to quality inspectors. By providing step-by-step interactive instructions, augmented reality can help new quality inspectors learn the ropes of a job quickly and easily. And for experienced quality managers, augmented reality can provide additional guidance on finding specific types of defects.

For example, automotive inspectors could use augmented reality to help them identify defects on a vehicle door. Additionally, augmented reality could guide the best inspection techniques to examine a product for defects. Such a technology would help ensure that all products are visually inspected in the same manner, thus increasing accuracy.

Training is important for all factory workers, but it is vital for people in charge of quality control, as they are the ones who determine whether a particular product is in or out of tolerance. Therefore, making training and on-the-job education more interactive and enjoyable for quality inspectors should be a priority for many manufacturers.

Data Analysis

Finally, augmented reality headsets can also be used for data analysis. After an inspection is complete, the data collected by the augmented reality headset can be analyzed to look for trends or patterns. This historical data could then be used to improve the quality inspection process.

For example, if a specific type of defect is common in one area of the factory compared to another, a manufacturer could take steps to address this. Or, if a quality inspector discovers that a particular product line has many defects, the inspector could take action to improve the manufacturing process.

It may be necessary to integrate multiple data sources to implement these improvements, but augmented reality can serve as a core visual baseline to bring outside data into the fold. By spatially registering machine-readable data, AR headset location, and on-device defect detection, a recommendation engine could suggest optimizations for production processes.

When Can I Expect to See AR In My Factory?

It is still early for augmented reality in the industrial sphere, but we can expect to see more augmented reality applications appearing over the next few years. For example, one of the first augmented reality headsets to be released for industrial use is the Microsoft HoloLens. Still, we expect major tech companies to also compete in this market.

In short, AR headsets may take a little while to become commonplace in factories, but augmented reality is not a technology to ignore. The benefits of augmented reality for quality managers are too great.

How to Get Started

If you are interested in learning more about augmented reality for the industrial sector, you can do a few things. First, attend some digital trade shows and technology conferences throughout the year. We highly recommend the NVIDIA conferences. These events will give you a good overview of the current state of augmented reality and where it is headed in the future.

Second, read some recently published white papers on augmented reality for industrial use. This will help you understand how augmented reality can be used in a manufacturing setting. In addition, white paper authors often include technical applications and guides, which can help develop a practical augmented reality strategy.

Finally, if you are looking for a more hands-on approach, consider hiring an augmented reality developer. They can help you develop an AR application tailored specifically for your needs.

Conclusion

Augmented reality can help quality managers find defects before they cause a problem. By pairing an augmented reality headset with computer vision, these quality managers will get defect-finding assistance on their augmented reality headsets when visually inspecting products. This technology is still in its early stages, but augmented reality will likely revolutionize the quality inspection process.

Quelle:

3 Ways Augmented Reality Will Help Quality Managers

18. Februar 2022 0 comment

Examples

Trimble Updates XR-10 FieldLink HoloLens Tool

Trimble enhances its innovative HoloLens-powered tool for construction teams

Industrial mixed reality (MR) developer Trimble introduced a key update on Wednesday for its XR-10 headset that provides HoloLens integration for its FieldLink solution.

FieldLink by Trimble was initially only compatible with external tablets, but now works with the XR 10s holographic visor powered by Microsoft’s HoloLens 2.

Nathan Patton, Trimble Applications Engineer, said Trimble’s MR solutions will bring great benefits to architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) teams, adding: “For people doing the ‘survey dance,’ this is a significant process improvement.”

The comments show that on-site, frontline workers using the XR-10 headset will be able to navigate the solution via eye or hand tracking inputs, allowing operations and maintenance (O&M) and AEC teams to explore MR overlays hands-free, without nee a physical controller.

What is Fieldlink

FieldLink by Trimble is a construction layout and scanning software that improves productivity and accuracy for on-site AEC teams.

The software works by scanning construction instruments and tools to convert objects as 3D digital twins on-site teams can place directly in the field. Using an external tablet, on-site employees can overlay MR assets in real-world environments with LIDAR scanning technology.

Although, now on-site workers can do all of this without needing to work between devices. Instead, they can perform all MR related tasks from within an XR 10 headset, using the Hololens 2 display.

AEC or O&M teams can now work with enhanced efficiency because workforces will no longer need to transfer data between devices for reviewal procedures.

Trimble Backs Forward-Thinking Industry

The Sunnyvale-based firm works closely with tech giant Microsoft to supply on-site workers with an intuitive and efficient MR solution to enhance construction and industrial workflows.

For example, Trimbles flagship XR 10 product comes with HoloLens 2 technology built-in to best benefit industry professionals. The powerful headset comes packed with a vast array of features that enables real-time collaboration and remote guidance.

Some notable features include a fully certified hardhat for worksite use, a 43-degree field of view, eye and hand tracking, holographic menus, and direct quality control support.

Additionally, the firm added Trimble Connect to its latest headset, where on-site workers can visualize, review, and share 3D content in real-time using SKP, DWG, RVT, IFC, and DXF file types.

This gives on-site construction teams the power to rapidly share 3D content such as digital twins between Trimble devices without connectivity issues. Also, tech firm’s Connect solution enhances peer-to-peer collaboration with immersive chat and conferencing features.

Quelle:

Trimble Updates XR-10 FieldLink HoloLens Tool

17. Februar 2022 0 comment