MxD has over 300 partners, including industry leaders, top-tier universities, high-growth startups, small and medium-sized manufacturers, and government agencies. We work with our partners to define problems, design partnerships, and develop solutions. MXD currently has a portfolio of over 60 projects in cutting-edge topics such as factory digital twins and open-space collaborative robotics. MxD also leads cybersecurity and workforce development efforts that enable widespread adoption of these new technologies.
Background and Achievements
MxD currently has several projects in its portfolio focused on Augmented Reality, including a tool for creating work instructions for AR systems through expert demonstration, and an effort spearheaded by Lockheed Martin, Procter & Gamble, and Caterpillar to define hardware and software functional requirements for AR applications for industrial use cases. This work culminated in a workshop hosted by the three lead companies in conjunction with DMDII and the AREA. At the workshop, representatives from industry, AR providers, universities, and government agencies discussed their respective needs and challenges. The goal of this collaborative effort was to ensure AR technology is developed in a way that meets real needs that will allow the technology to be widely adopted on shop floors, helping to improve efficiency and competitiveness for manufacturers of all types and sizes. After the workshop, the functional requirements were transitioned to the AREA for further development.
Additionally, MxD showcases several types of AR technology in its Future Factory for a 22,000 square-foot manufacturing floor designed for experimentation, testing, and development of next-generation digital manufacturing solutions. The demos feature tablet, wearable, and projector-based AR applications.
Challenges to be Addressed by AR
We are focused on developing opportunities for our partners to collaborate on projects that promote the advancement of AR technology and accelerate adoption of this technology within the manufacturing sector. We aspire to help our partners understand the applicability of AR technology for a variety of use cases, to navigate AR hardware and software offerings, and to support interoperability efforts.
Why AR is a Strategic Area
The mission of MxD is to digitize American manufacturers to help them become more efficient and cost-competitive, and AR plays an important role in achieving this. AR has the potential to drive significant efficiency gains and process improvements, which will ultimately impact the bottom line of U.S. manufacturers. There are many applications for AR to drive improvements in manufacturing, including in the areas of safety, factory floor and field service operations, machine assembly, product design, and more.