There are many use cases for Augmented Reality in the aerospace industry and the leaders in this industry have a long history with the technology. In this post, we review some of the milestones and provide highlights of the recent AREA webinar.

In 1969, while working in the Human Engineering Division of the Armstrong Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory (USAF), Wright-Patterson AFB, Thomas Furness presented a paper entitled “Helmet-Mounted Displays and their Aerospace Applications” to attendees of the National Aerospace Electronics Conference.

Over 20 years later the paper was one of eight references cited by two Boeing engineers, Thomas Caudell and David Mizell. In their 1992 paper published in the Proceedings of the Twenty-Fifth Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Caudell and Mizell coined the term “Augmented Reality.” The degree to which the team drew from the work of Furness, who had started the Human Interface Technology Lab at University of Washington in 1989, is unclear but the focus of the Boeing team was on reducing errors when building wire harnesses for use in aircraft and other manual manufacturing tasks in aerospace. 

While the technology was not sufficiently mature to leave the lab or to deliver on its potential at the time, they suggested that with an AR-assisted system an engineer would in the future be able to perform tasks more quickly and with fewer errors. 

Proof of Concepts

Approximately fifteen years later, in 2008, Paul Davies, a research & development engineer at AREA member Boeing began working with Boeing Technical Fellow, Anthony Majoros. Together, Davies and Majoros picked up where the Caudell and Mizell paper left off. They used commercially-available technologies such as Total Immersion’s D’Fusion platform to show how technicians building satellites could perform complex tasks with Augmented Reality running on tablets.

Airbus has also been experimenting with Augmented Reality for over a decade. In this paper published in the ISMAR 2006 proceedings, Dominik Willers explains how Augmented Reality was being studied for assembly and service tasks but judged too immature for introduction into production environments. The paper, authored in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich, focused on the need for advances in tracking. 

Since those proof of concept projects, AR technology has advanced to the point that it is being explored for an increasing number of use cases in the aerospace industry. In parallel with the expansion of use cases, the pace of applied research into AR-enabling technology components has not abated.

Augmented Reality in Aerospace in 2016

While today AR may not be found in many aerospace production environments, the promise of the technology to increase efficiency is widely acknowledged.

On February 18, David Doral of AERTEC Solutions, Jim Novack of Talent Swarm, and Raul Alarcon of the European Space Agency joined Paul Davies and me to discuss the status of Augmented Reality in their companies and client projects.

Each participant described the use cases and drivers for Augmented Reality adoption. For Boeing, the key metrics are reduction of errors and time to task completion. Use cases include training and work assistance. AERTEC Solutions, which works closely with Airbus, and Talent Swarm are both focusing on use cases where live video from a head-mounted camera can bring greater understanding of a technician’s context and questions, and permit more rapid analysis and resolution of issues.

The European Space Agency sees a variety of use cases on Earth and in space. Inspection and quality assurance, for example, could benefit from the use of Augmented Reality-assisted systems.

Turbulence Ahead 

During the discussion, webinar panelists explored the obstacles that continue to prevent full-scale adoption. In general, most barriers to adoption can be considered as technological in nature. But there are also significant obstacles stemming from human factors and business considerations. We also discussed the degree to which other industries may be able to apply lessons learned from aerospace.

To learn more about the state of AR in the aerospace industry, please watch the webinar archive.

Do you have use cases and projects that you would like to share with the AREA and our audiences? Please let us know in the comments of this post.

Are you noticing an emerging trend in manufacturing? After years of hype about Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing, companies with industrial facilities are beginning to install Internet-connected sensors organized in networks of connected devices, also known as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), in growing numbers.

Industrial IoT Is Not a Fad

According to a recent report published by Verizon, the number of IoT connections in the manufacturing sector rose 204% from 2013 to 2014. These connect data from industrial machines to services that provide alerts and instructions on consoles in control rooms to reduce plant downtime. The same Verizon study provides many examples of IIoT benefits in other industries as well: companies that move merchandise are reducing fuel consumption using data captured, transmitted and analyzed in near real time. Connected “smart” streetlights require less planned maintenance when their sensors send an alert for needed repairs. Other examples include smart meters in homes, which reduce the cost of operations for utilities. An analysis from the World Economic Forum describes other near-term advantages of globally introducing IIoT such as operational cost reduction, increasing worker efficiency and data monetization. These are only the tip of the iceberg of benefits.

Many predict that as a result of IIoT adoption, the global industrial landscape is shifting towards a more resource efficient, sustainable production economy. Part of the equation includes combining IIoT with other technologies. Companies that deploy IIoT must also build and maintain advanced systems to manage and mine Big Data.

Big Data

To act upon and even predict factory-related events in the future, companies need to mine Big Data and continually detect patterns in large-scale data sets with Deep Learning technologies. Combined with vast processing power “for hire” in the cloud, these technologies are putting cost-saving processes like predictive maintenance and dynamic fault correction within reach of many more companies. With predictive technologies, managers can optimize responses better and adapt their organizations more quickly to address incidents. A study from General Electric in collaboration with Accenture highlights that for this reason, two managers out of three are already planning to implement Big Data Mining as a follow up to IIoT implementation.

Data and Objects Also Need Human Interfaces

Having post-processing analytics and predictive technologies is valuable to those who are in control centers, but what happens when a technician is dispatched to the field or in the factory to service a connected machine? Augmented Reality provides the human workforce with an interface between the data from these sensors and the real world.

The real time visualization (or “consumption”) of sensor data is an important component of the larger equation. Sensor tracking protocols are not new. In fact, SCADA can be traced back to the ‘70s but when combined with Augmented Reality, new options are available. As industrial equipment becomes more and more complex, workers constantly face long procedures that often involve monitoring and decision-making. When assisted by Augmented Reality during this process, the worker with the contextual guidance as well as all the up-to-date information required for successful decision-making can perform tasks more quickly and with lower errors.

How It Works

Let’s examine a compelling use case for AR and IIoT: maintenance of Internet-connected machines. A worker servicing a machine facing a fault needs to access the real time data readings of the internal variables of all the machine components in order to diagnose the problem and choose the right procedure to apply. In current scenarios the worker needs to phone the central control room in order to access the data or, in some cases, retrieve the data readings from a nearby terminal, then return to the machine. With an AR-enabled device, the worker can simply point the device at the machine, visualize the real time internal readings overlaid on top of the respective components, and decide the best procedure (as shown in the ARise event presentation about data integration). The same device can then provide guidance for the procedure, informing the worker with the contextual data needed at every step.

Another use case that can benefit from the combination of AR and IoT is job documentation. Through the interaction with real time sensor data, workers can document the status of machines during each step, feeding data directly into ERP systems, without having to fill out long paper-based forms as part of their service documentation. Procedures can be documented with greater precision, eliminating the possibility for human error during data gathering.

Big Data and Augmented Reality

When deploying IoT in industrial contexts, entrepreneurs should take into account the two faces of the value of the data produced by this technology. The offline processing capabilities of Big Data Mining algorithms provide a powerful prediction and analysis tool. In parallel, implementing Augmented Reality allows those who are in the field to reap the benefits of having real time onsite contextual data. 

Some AREA members are already able to demonstrate the potential of combining sensors, Big Data and Augmented Reality. Have you heard of projects that tap IIoT in new and interesting ways with Augmented Reality? Share with us in the comments of this post.

AREA members have a great deal of experience with implementing enterprise AR projects. We sat down with Niklas Rengfors, VP of Sales at XMReality, to learn how his company’s solutions and approach to AR introduction are helping to improve field service organizations with advanced remote assistance technologies.

What types of companies are using your solutions today?

We have the privilege to work with companies like Tetra Pak, Wärtsilä, Bombardier and Bosch Rexroth who have large, geographically dispersed field service organizations. Service professionals are called upon to perform routine service but sometimes they encounter situations that they don’t expect. Our systems can also be used to help those in two factories or two service centers visualize conditions and support one another using a live video enhanced with Augmented Reality.

What are the reasons these customers have chosen to work with XMReality as a supplier?

One important factor is that we focus on industrial users, mainly asset-heavy companies with a worldwide support commitment and provide all the hardware, software and services they need to deploy for remote assistance. Since our standard solution is truly “plug and play,” they can quickly begin to get experience and results. Then we collaborate with our customers in order to provide additional Augmented Reality functionality.

How has the employee performance in the workplace where you’ve introduced Augmented Reality been impacted?

We always work with a customer to put a business case together before we know the size of the deployment and the investment required. Working with service organizations, they monitor a lot of metrics. For example, they know precisely how much time they spend travelling, how much of the service they provide is under warranty, etc.
The most popular KPIs are

• First time fix ratio
• Travel costs
• Manhours to complete a task
• Uptime on the asset/machine

What is your company’s recommended approach to AR introduction? Are there steps or a model/method you follow?  

It is very important to have a plan and to follow the plan when new technology is being introduced. We have developed our own methodology. XMWork is a project planning framework we provide for both proof of concepts and also roll-outs, on which we collaborate with the customer.

Do you get involved in the design of the content that will be used in the introduction project/pilots?

Yes, that’s part of our full turnkey service. It is important to align the customer expectation with the technical possibilities and sometimes the customer does not have the skills or tools in-house to make the changes that are required.

How is data prepared for your customer projects?

Once the customer identifies the data they want to use, in meetings and sometimes in workshops, they provide it to us. Our engineers will then modify and enhance it for use in remote assistance using our technology. Sometimes this involves breaking the information down into smaller parts. Sometimes we need to prepare an animation or illustration. It depends on the project and the data we are provided.

What is the profile of a typical user who performs the selected tasks using your product? Are they highly trained professionals?

The users of our systems are technicians and field engineers, so-called “blue collar workers.” There’s little training required for our solution so users don’t need special certification for that.

Do you study project risks with the customer or project leader?

Yes, it is important that customers share and decide the risk level that is acceptable. We see in some cases where smart glasses are worn and might require extra precautions. For example, the person using the glasses needs to detect potential danger such as forklifts in the vicinity. Also some technicians need to climb into machines so they must see where they put their feet. These are questions that typically emerge which we are evaluating project risks.

Do your customers perform user studies prior to and following the use of the XMReality system?

Absolutely! Customers prepare a business case to get funding prior to the project but then they must update these calculations once they have more experience with the technology and use cases. It is very important for us and the customer to study acceptance rates and we frequently help the customer in this study or in creating the business case.

What are the attitudes of those in the workplace where AR projects are successfully introduced?

It depends a lot on the personality and age of the user. Younger people tend to adopt new technology more quickly. Others are a bit more conservative when asked to use new technology. When the user sees the efficiency increase, though, even the more skeptical ones are eager to adopt this type of technology.

Considering the three ingredients of enterprise AR (hardware, software and content), what are the components of the system(s) you offer?

Core in our offering is the software. Customers are able to use their own devices but we also offer our own hardware, hands-free displays that we call “video goggles” and also tablets. For some, hands-free operations is of big importance, for some not. We can also provide accessories such as tool belts in order to improve accessibility of all the tools and technologies technicians require.

What are the greatest challenges you face in current introduction projects?

At this time, it’s quite a challenge to find and secure the right project sponsors. Then we have to support them to obtain project funding and a qualified project manager. We collaborate and consult a great deal to make sure everyone is comfortable with the project scope and that the solutions we offer will meet or exceed the expectation of the project.

What are the future plans/next steps for your company?

We are continually developing our Remote Guidance solution and also expanding the type of Augmented Reality projects we can do. Part of this requires our establishing partnerships with manufacturers of smart glasses so that the customer’s requirements are satisfied. We are always interested in meeting new potential partners and working with them to bring more complete solutions to our customers.

At Talent Swarm we envisage that by using pre-existing platforms and standards for technical communication, our customers will reach new and higher levels of efficiency. Our vision relies on video calling to make highly qualified remote experts available on demand, and the data from Building Information Management (BIM) systems will enhance those live video communications using Augmented Reality.

Converging Worlds

There have been significant improvements in video calling and data sharing platforms and protocols since their introduction two decades ago. The technologies have expanded in terms of features and ability to support large groups simultaneously. Using H.264 and custom extensions, a platform or “communal space” permits people to interact seamlessly with remote presence tools.  The technology for these real time, parallel digital and physical worlds is already commonplace in online video gaming. 

But there are many differences between what gamers do at their consoles and enterprise employees do on job sites. As our professional workforce increasingly uses high-performance mobile devices and networks, these differences will decline. Protocols and platforms will connect a global, professionally certified talent pool to collaborate with their peers on-site. 

Enterprises also have the ability to log communications and activities in the physical world in a completely accurate, parallel digital world.

Growth with Lower Risk

We believe that introducing next generation Collaborative Work Environments (CWE) will empower managers in many large industries, such as engineering, construction, aviation and defense. They will begin tapping the significant infrastructure now available to address the needs of technical personnel, as well as scientific research and e-commerce challenges. When companies in these industries put the latest technologies to work for their projects, risks will decline.

Most IT groups in large-scale engineering and construction companies now have an exhaustive register of 3D models that describe every part of a project. These are developed individually and used from initial design through construction. But these have yet to be put to their full use. One reason is that they are costly to produce, and companies are not able to re-use models created by third parties. There are no codes or systems that help the companies’ IT departments determine origins of models or if the proposed model is accurate. The risks of relying on uncertified models, then learning that there is a shortcoming or the model is not available when needed, are too great.

Another barrier to our vision is that risk-averse industries and enterprises are slow in evaluating and adopting new hardware. Meanwhile, hardware evolves rapidly. In recent years, video conferencing has matured in parallel with faster processors and runs on many mobile platforms. Specialized glasses (such as ODG´s R-7s, Atheer Air and, soon, Microsoft’s HoloLens), helmets (DAQRI´s Smart Helmet), real time point-cloud scanners (such as those provided by Leica or Dot Products) or even tablets and cell phones can capture the physical world to generate “virtual environments.”

With enterprise-ready versions of these tools coupled with existing standards adopted for use in specific industries, the digital and physical worlds can be linked, with data flowing bi-directionally in real time. For example, a control room operator can see a local operator as an avatar in the digital world. By viewing the video streaming from a camera mounted on the local operator’s glasses, the remote operator can provide remote guidance in real time. 

Standards are Important Building Blocks

At Talent Swarm, we have undertaken a detailed analysis of the standards in the construction industry and explored how to leverage and extend these standards to build a large-scale, cloud-based repository for building design, construction and operation.

We’ve concluded that Building Information Management (BIM) standards are reaching a level of maturity that makes them well suited for developing a parallel digital world as we suggest. Such a repository of 3D models of standard parts and components will permit an industry, and eventually many disparate industries, to reduce significant barriers to efficiency. Engineers will not need to spend days or weeks developing the models they need to describe a buttress or other standard components.

Partnerships are Essential

The project we have in mind is large and we are looking for qualified partners in the engineering, construction and oil and gas industries, and with government agencies, to begin developing initial repositories of 3D models of the physical world.

By structuring these repositories during the design phase, and maintaining and adding to this information in real time from on-site cameras, we will be able to refine and prove CWE concepts and get closer to delivering on the promise.

Gradually, throughout the assembly and construction phases we will build a database that tracks the real world from cradle to grave. Analyzing these databases of objects and traces of physical world changes with Big Data tools will render improvement and maintenance insights previously impossible to extract from disjointed, incomplete records. We believe that such a collaborative project will pave the way towards self-repairing, sentient systems.

We look forward to hearing from those who are interested in testing the concepts in this post and collaborating towards the development of unprecedented Collaborative Work Environments.  

In the future, Augmented Reality could play a role in a variety of production or assembly processes. On the one hand it can provide support for those working on individual, custom products made in mom-and-pop shops or by specialized welders on location. At the other extreme, Augmented Reality can also play a role in high-volume, low-mix manufacturing in factories full of automated and specialized machines.

In highly automated production facilities, workers are few and far between. Their role is to anticipate and respond to the needs of machines. These machines usually have dozens or even hundreds of sensors continually capturing information about the machine’s activities in the real world.

In today’s factories, most sensor data is sent directly to a control room. Human operators receive alerts or make decisions based on raw readings or on algorithms that analyze the sensor observations, and then go to the machine to perform planned and unplanned procedures on the equipment. The operator travels between the control room and the production machinery to determine the status as procedures are implemented. There may be changes in the data while the operator is in transit. The operator may make mental errors, forget or invert data when transcribing observations or once at the machine.

New case studies recently released by AREA member DAQRI provide a glimpse into the future.

Kazakhstan Seamless Pipe Steel Operators See More

A team of DAQRI solution architects visited the Kazakhstan Seamless Pipe Steel (KSP Steel) factory in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan and studied the problems facing machinery operators up close. They then developed and demonstrated an application for Hot Rolling Mill Line optimization using the DAQRI Smart Helmet.

Live machine performance data could be seen in real time by those using the DSH when on the shop floor. The factory supervisor remarked that this technology has the potential to “decentralize” the control room and reduce the time for workers to respond to machinery performance data.

The results of the demonstration suggest that using Augmented Reality in the manner implemented by this project could reduce downtime by 50% and increase machine operator productivity by 40%.

More information about this project and a video of the DSH in use are available on the DAQRI web site.

HyperLoop Welders Receive Support on the Spot

A project involving the DSH on the HyperLoop, a transportation system invented by Elon Musk and being prototyped in 2016, demonstrates another use case that has a great deal of potential to offer productivity gains.

In a proof of concept with HyperLoop engineers and the DSH Remote Expert application, experts in a central “command” center view live video coming from remote robotic welders. The supervising engineer in the Los Angeles office sees construction progress and provides audio and telestration guidance while a welder performs a very specific spot weld. The description of the project and a video of the DSH in use are also available on DAQRI’s web site.

Tip of the Iceberg

These case studies reveal the potential for dramatic productivity improvements when workers are equipped with Augmented Reality-assisted systems such as the DSH.

Other enterprise customers are testing the use of Augmented Reality for manufacturing and production of a wide range of products. Stay tuned! New case studies with details about the potential for significant customer benefit will soon be coming to light.

If you have a case study that you would like to share, provide a link to it in the comments of this post or contact the AREA’s editorial team. We will be happy to support the preparation and publication of your case studies and testimonials.

By Christine Perey and Ketan Joshi

Every enterprise AR project is a tremendous learning experience. While every enterprise AR project requires a team, there’s always that shining hero without whose commitment the project would not have come into existence. These heroes of enterprise AR will be the focus of attention during a full day of sessions of the Augmented World Expo 2016 Enterprise AR track.

The in-house managers of the first enterprise AR projects at customer organizations are a special breed. They are special by virtue of their vision, their passion, their persistence and their ability to span many disciplines and stakeholders.

On the one hand they must master dialects of an emerging “Augmented Reality” language that vendors speak, from the nitty gritty details of tracking technology to the subtleties of interactions like hand gestures and voice commands. On the other, they must know when and how to manage their company’s internal IT department priorities and constraints.

And they are rarely recognized for their role in bringing Augmented Reality from science project to enterprise-ready solution.

Bringing the Best and Brightest to the AWE Stage

The AREA is hosting the AWE Enterprise AR track. June 2 will be dedicated to presentations by, and discussions with extraordinary enterprise project managers as they share their important AR project achievements.

While AREA members will bring these pioneering enterprise project managers to the AWE stage, we are sure there are many others who have gone unnoticed.

• Are you a leader in a company that has been testing enterprise AR?
• Did you sacrifice nights, weekends and holidays to make sure that your project stayed on course and could continue?
• Do you feel you’ve had to reset every goal and yet have never forgotten the ultimate benefits that your company could gain from enterprise AR introduction?

We hope you will let us know if you are one of this special breed, or if you know a manager at a customer company who has such experiences to share.

A Simple Framework

During these AREA-hosted Enterprise AR track sessions, AWE delegates will learn about a variety of unique enterprise Augmented Reality pilot projects and deployments. The presentations will follow a framework that will provide practical guidance to those who will follow in their footsteps.

The case studies will cover:

• Use cases
  • Tasks or processes prior to AR implementation and selection criteria
• Custom or off-the-shelf tools and services used in the project
  • Selection process of project partners
• Project time and resource requirements
• Demonstration or a video of the solution in action
• Project outcomes and their measurement
• Future plans

With your support, we are looking forward to identifying and bringing together the heroes of enterprise AR projects and celebrating their achievements on June 2.

In our previous post about the event we focused on the exhibits and demonstrations of enterprise Augmented Reality found on the CES exhibition floor. But to cast CES as only an exhibition experience is shortsighted. Discussions and demonstrations of enterprise Augmented Reality during the four-day event were not limited to the vast and crowded exhibition halls.

Beyond the Exhibition Halls

Some companies, including Atheer, an AREA founding sponsor member, were demonstrating their new hands-free display technology and development kit in private suites. Such environments are more conducive to advancing business discussions with potential partners and customers.Some of those prospective new partners and customers joined AREA members and guests on the evening of January 6.

Some of those prospective new partners and customers joined AREA members and guests on the evening of January 6. Over 40 enterprise AR providers and customers gathered for casual networking during which members provided insights and shared their views on enterprise Augmented Reality trends. The international crowd included representatives from Portugal, Spain, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Germany, France and, of course, the United States.  

Augmented Reality in the CES Conference

In addition to featuring the DAQRI Smart Helmet during the Intel keynote, this year CES also featured enterprise AR during a panel discussion in which I participated on behalf of the AREA. While I shared the stage with Christopher Stapleton of Simyosis, Neil Trevett of NVIDIA and Ralph Osterhout of Osterhout Design Group (ODG), Mashable’s Tech Editor Pete Pachal moderated the “What’s Next for Augmented Reality?” session.

We began by debating the age-old question of whether it is important for customers to understand the differences between Virtual and Augmented Reality. The confusion between these two concepts lingers and increases the risk of customers thinking that Augmented Reality is “just a game” or a gimmick.  In the end, we agreed that when there is an opportunity, a first-hand demonstration quickly clarifies the differences between AR and VR. 

We explored the wide range of use cases for Augmented Reality and shared opinions about which industries or use cases would be likely to break out in 2016. Panelists also explored if and when interoperability might come and the role of emotions as part of delivering meaningful value to users.

The Future

Despite its name, CES isn’t just a consumer electronics or technology show. In my opinion, it’s currently the world’s most important event when it comes to seeing and trying on the latest (and future) enterprise Augmented Reality hardware. And, even if the environment does not lend itself to realistic demonstrations, touching new hardware is extremely important when making buying decisions. This is the appeal that motivates customers and providers to make plans to attend CES, then drives them to crawl the halls looking for those high value partners.

“The quality of the discussions at CES is far more mature than in past years,” Jay Kim, Chief Strategy Officer of APX Labs, remarked to me. “This year we’re spending very little time explaining the concept of Augmented Reality or the use cases for it, and having more meaningful discussions with new partners and customers.”

While the establishment of new contacts made at CES is a compelling benefit, converting those to customers and generating new revenue streams or highly successful enterprise AR projects remains a year-long (or longer) process.

Furthermore, CES logistics are an issue. Getting to Las Vegas for the event is fraught with problems due to congested air traffic. The accommodations are expensive; it’s also painfully difficult to navigate the large exhibition halls. There’s a lot of waiting around in long lines. While waiting or walking around it’s common to feel that there are people we should be meeting but who, due to lack of time or high congestion, we miss.

What do you think? Do so many people really need to endure this annual punishment to see the future of enterprise Augmented Reality hardware first-hand?  Did you attend CES 2016 and have observations you can share with us?

As with other new technology introductions, enterprise Augmented Reality projects are fraught with familiar and new risks. To move forward with enterprise AR projects on reasonable budgets and schedules, it’s important to acknowledge the existence of risks and to find ways to creatively manage them.

Risk 101

Managers should take a short course on risk as part of their preparation for taking on Augmented Reality introduction projects. One of the first lessons in risk management offers different ways to classify and prioritize the risk types or sources. 

To my view, there are four classes of risk for enterprise Augmented Reality:

• Technological maturity risks
• Financial risks
• User acceptance risks 
• Regulatory/corporate policy risks

While this is good theory, in practice most risks are interconnected. Sometimes addressing one risk increases another.  Furthermore, the type of project will impact the number and type of risks within each class.

Bring in All the Project Stakeholders

Just as with other aspects of Augmented Reality, management of risks is a multi-disciplinary process. It’s important to have representatives of all the stakeholders in the discussion of risk and to keep them engaged as the project advances to monitor and adjust the risk assessment.

For example, a representative from your corporate finance group will have different perspectives than the representative of the labor union. The IT department will keep an eye on security and the safety managers will be looking for a different set of risk sources.

If possible, establish a shared risk tracking system for the project and maintain a schedule of regular reviews.  Some risks are reduced or eliminated quickly while others could escalate and derail a very promising project.

Where Rubber Meets the Road

In the end, all stakeholders realize that, as with any new technology introduction, there’s not a silver bullet that will remove all known and imagined risks. The best the project manager can aim for is reasonable management of risk.

Watch the AREA webinar archive to learn more about this topic and recommendations to project managers. AREA members will also be discussing how they have approached or address these risks in real world settings.

This year, enterprise Augmented Reality was highly visible at the CES, the tech industry’s gathering in Las Vegas.

Enterprise Augmented Reality’s first “prime time moment” of 2016 was when Brian Mullins, CEO of DAQRI, an AREA founding sponsor member, was invited by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich to the CES main stage. During the event’s pre-show keynote address, thousands of media and analysts and tens of thousands of attendees watched as an assistant wearing the shiny white helmet examined a maze of pipes. As Mullins described the DAQRI Smart Helmet’s features and benefits, video output of the helmet, including pipes with readings visible in Augmented Reality, appeared on the stage’s mega screens.

Rising Numbers

Although it lasted less than five minutes of the nearly two-hour keynote, DAQRI’s Smart Helmet demonstration caught the attention of major media outlets and produced dozens of interviews, posts and articles. And, with this coverage, enterprise attendees at CES and tens of thousands of professionals who have watched (or will watch) the segment since its enactment can more easily understand that enterprise Augmented Reality has the potential to improve workplace performance and reduce risk.

While many new customers are only beginning to understand its potential, many of those who have done pilots and are now seeking to go to scale also attended CES 2016. Visitors from hundreds of large enterprises such as Caterpillar, Phillips 66, Pratt & Whitney, CNH Industrial and Northrup Grumman, and dozens of government agencies and smart cities, including Brussels, Amsterdam and New York, were prowling around the booths of AR technology vendors, listening carefully and asking probing questions about volume pricing and service options.

If the DAQRI Smart Helmet had been worn around the 2.47 million square feet of CES exhibition floor, it would have helped its user to find DAQRI’s demonstration which was featured in a corner of the Intel booth alongside the AR-assisted sand table provided by Design Mill, also an AREA founding sponsor member.

It could also have helped customers find other AREA members including Bosch and Huawei, and APX Labs, which had demonstrations in both the Sony and Vuzix booths. The helmet might have led its user to nearly 80 other booths where enterprise Augmented Reality-enabling technologies or systems were featured. While small in comparison with the total 3,800 CES exhibitors, 2016 brought out nearly double the number of relevant exhibitors and demonstrations we found in 2015. In 2016, most AR exhibitors at CES were showing or using transparent hands-free display technology or components with which such products are manufactured.

Its Own Marketplace

CES helps visitors focus on product segments by creating zones it refers to as “marketplaces.” At the center of the large Virtual Reality and Gaming Marketplace was a perpetual line of attendees wrapped around the giant black Oculus booth patiently waiting for their turn to sit in a theater while wearing a VR display for 10 minutes.

Next to it was the first and significantly smaller CES Augmented Reality Marketplace, where exhibitors included Marxent, Matter & Form, Occipital, Lumus Optical, VanGogh Imaging, InfinityAR, ODG and Sony Electronics.

ODG had the Augmented Reality Marketplace’s largest footprint dedicated to enterprise AR demonstrations. Inside a closely guarded cage (a miniature “marketplace” within the CES Augmented Reality Marketplace) were members of the ODG Reticle Partner Program showing their solutions to increase workplace safety, improve productivity and streamline complex workflows. Demonstrations by Optech4D, Vital Enterprises, Augmenta, and ScopeAR featured utilities, oil and gas, aerospace, logistics and automotive industry use cases, while other parts of the booth allowed visitors to discover ODG’s R-7 and to try on the next generation device sporting a 1080p resolution and 50-degree field of view display. ODG suggests that users of the next generation smart glasses will also have the ability to control opacity, offering both optical see-through Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality experiences with the same device.

Also within the CES Augmented Reality Marketplace:

• Sony had a small booth in which several partners were demonstrating enterprise solutions using SmartEyeglass and a station showing the new Rochester Optical lenses.
• InfinityAR demonstrated an Augmented Reality-assisted office using its 3D tracking based on the company’s stereoscopic camera technology combined with an InvenSense IMU.
• Nearby, Lumus was showing its latest optics for integration into smartglasses and its new developer kit. The company announced that it has entered in partnership with InfinityAR and SUNCORPORATION, a Japanese IT and entertainment provider, to use its optics in AceReal, a new product targeting enterprise markets.

Surrounding the Augmented Reality Marketplace were many vendors showing the latest mobile 3D scanning systems that capture the real world when authoring AR experiences. Partnerships with these providers should accelerate the speed of authoring AR experiences. For example, VanGogh Imaging announced that it has integrated its advanced tracking technology with 3D capture technology provided by Orbbec3D, a newcomer to this product segment.

But the CES Augmented Reality Marketplace didn’t meet all the relevant exhibitors’ budgets or requirements, so finding other examples of enabling technology and enterprise Augmented Reality experiences involved careful research and route planning. 

Beyond the Marketplace

Augmented Reality was in many of the automotive industry booths as a feature of new “safe driving” technology packages and a future component of automated or computer-assisted driving. Although these consumer-facing solutions are quickly coming to market, the same technologies could also be made available for helping workers to navigate, operate or service their trucks, forklifts or other types of industrial vehicles.

Elsewhere there were dozens of enterprise AR use cases illustrated. In the Dassault Systems booth, Augmented and Mixed Reality were shown as part of a creative data-driven workflow. In Vuzix’s CES booth, partners using the M100 were illustrating use cases in service, maintenance and logistics. XOEye Technologies conducted regular remote service calls with representatives at Lee Company, its customer based in Nashville, TN. The printed brochure and industrial design of M300 were available at one of the stands but, unfortunately, working models for demonstration purposes were not. The latest Vuzix VR and video streaming products for consumers occupied the other half of the booth and received considerable attention.

The latest products for enterprise Augmented Reality were also being shown in Sands Expo by:

• Optinvent, a French provider of optics and fully integrated eyewear
• Brilliant Service, a Japanese company, introducing mirama, eyewear targeting industrial users
• Sharing the booth with Brilliant Service was Telepathy, which showed its new “Walker” product targeting Augmented Reality gamers
• Ryosho, a Japanese company which is distributing the InfoLinker, manufactured by Westunities,in Japan and internationally (from its office in San Jose, CA)

In Westgate hall, the spokespeople in the expansive AltoTech booth explained that the company is preparing to launch its next generation of the Cool Glass product which, despite several differentiators, closely resembles Google Glass. AltoTech plans to release the next generation Cool Glass product internationally from its new offices in the US as well as in China later this year.

To read my observations about other CES 2016 features and highlights, please read the second post on this topic.

Were there CES announcements that you want everyone to know about? What did you find most valuable at CES 2016? Share your thoughts in comments below.

Technical communicators are a technology-savvy audience so they’ve read and heard about Augmented Reality. But most people in this role have yet to acquire knowledge about how it works and hands-on experience with the tools. The 2015 edition of tcworld, the annual conference of the European Association for Technical Communication (tekom), offered a unique opportunity for attendees to satisfy their curiosity and begin filling the gaps in their understanding of this new technology, but left them hungry for more.

Held in Stuttgart, Germany, from November 10-12, tcworld drew over 4,200 delegates from 48 countries and featured ten sessions on Augmented Reality topics. To view abstracts of the Augmented Reality track sessions, you can select “Augmented Reality” from the “Topic Area” drop-down menu on the English language program here, and the German program here. All seats were filled and people stood along the walls during the AR sessions delivered in German, the primary language of business for the attendees and, while there remained open seats, English language sessions were also well attended.

Technical Communication Toolsets and AR Demos

In addition to the conference sessions, tcworld has an extensive exhibition floor. Over 200 vendors offering software and services filled two halls. In their own zone there were a half dozen technical communication associations, several emphasizing localization. Some exhibitors, such as Bosch, Cognitas, Semcon, Kothes! and others, demonstrated that their tools could produce and manage Augmented Reality experiences, and the added value of AR as an alternative or extension of traditional user manuals and service documentation. Although many questions about AR delivery hardware platforms such as smart glasses were asked, the tcworld vendors’ AR demonstrations exclusively used tablets. The Oculus Rift demonstration in the Canon/Cognitas booth attracted curious visitors, many of whom were unclear on the distinctions between VR and AR.

Some vendors shared that, compared with last year’s offerings, they are able in 2015 to demonstrate improved object tracking and more complete AR-enabled systems as a result of dedicating more internal resources to research and development. It’s clear that both those in the aisles and the booths consider AR a promising new technical information visualization and delivery method.

Enterprise Augmented Reality Use Cases

In contrast to some other events focusing on AR topics, the tcworld AR session speakers consistently featured real world use cases for the technology. Their high-quality presentations highlighted practical benefits of introducing AR, such as how employees can do their jobs faster and better with the technology, rather than using AR as a marketing gimmick to sell more products.

For example, Andrew Head of Semcon Product Information described and then demonstrated an AR-assisted training use case executed as part of a project with J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited (JCB).

In this use case, overlays of engine maintenance information offer advantages over standard service manuals such as:

• Improved learning efficiency and knowledge retention as a result of users associating instructions with an object’s features and visual cues, thus promoting spatial learning.
• Increased awareness and retention of the safety regulations, as a result of users being required to read regulations prior to starting the AR-based experiences.

Head reported that users were generally happy with the technology and were motivated to explore its further usage, asking such questions as, “When can I get this on my phone?”

In another presentation, Dirk Schart of RE’FLEKT GmbH presented projects underway for urban dwellers and service technicians and described experience delivery on a variety of AR-enabled devices, such as smartphones and smart glasses.

Specifically, Schart described use cases involving:

• An AR-enabled emergency responders’ system (such as this one) for firemen that displays a user interface projected on a fireman’s glove and features remote streaming with dispatchers.
• A smart helmet by AREA member DAQRI for providing both hard hat protection and AR visualization in the field of view.
• A tangible UI developed by the MIT Media Lab, permitting AR-based visualization of additional user interface features overlaid on products.
• Hybrid-city lighting that uses projection AR to guide pedestrians along walkways.
• An AR-enabled window created by RE’FLEKT and displaying information for passengers as part of the Hyperloop transportation system.

Robert Schaefer of TID Informatik GmbH and Daniel Schultheiss of AllVisual presented interesting AR-assisted helicopter maintenance use cases, developed on the basis of the CAD models of Schaefer’s CATALOGcreator product.

The product not only enables real time guidance of mechanics in their daily work, but it showcases another, and just as important aspect of enterprise AR: the visualization of enterprise data and its role in industry 4.0.

Schultheiss spoke about the sheer amounts of data collected by their helicopters before, during and after flight, and how they leverage the data to enhance maintenance. For example, in-flight data can be collected and used for both (predictive) maintenance and insurance. They use tool chains from SAP, TID Informatik and Wikitude to simplify tablet-enabled helicopter servicing, and have developed an integrated data model and cloud technologies to support efficient data collection and usage.

Requirements for Augmented Reality Systems

Several sessions focused on practical aspects of implementing Augmented Reality systems in enterprise.

Representatives from Bosch shared their experiences and challenges with AR projects, and compiled a list of the right questions to ask. The presentation revisited many of the themes that AREA member representative Juergen Lumera spoke about at the AR in Automotive conference in Cologne on October 5^th. 

Simone Schappert, a Masters student at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences provided a survey of tools and technologies for incorporating Augmented Reality in work instructions, and explained the basics of tracking methods (such as marker and markerless tracking), as well as the current landscape of tool vendors. She emphasized the strengths of AR technology in user manuals, such as providing a more immediately helpful (and emotional) experience for users.

In another session of the AR track, Rob Heemels from Canon Business Services discussed the creation of a Learning Activity Plan (LAP) using inputs from intelligent devices and sensors with Augmented Reality (along with some VR) for presentation. Based on recent projects with the Dutch Océ International Training Center

Mixed and Augmented Reality increases target audience engagement with training materials when the service professionals are remote. Professionals who successfully use mixed and Augmented Reality as part of training are likely to feel comfortable with extending its use in service and support use cases.

Augmented Reality is Technical Communication

At heart, the visualization of data in context with Augmented Reality is an important development in the field of technical communication. The presence of AR as a topic in the conference presentations, as well as the interest of traditional technical communication vendors for the technology serves are clear evidence of AR’s growing role. We’re sure to see increasing numbers of AR use cases in the workplace, as well as sessions at tcworld.

Did you attend tcworld 2015? What were your impressions of the Augmented Reality offerings? Leave your comment below.