Wearables have the potential to increase value of workers by improving physical and perceptual abilities, according to the report. Wearables such as smart glasses, sensors, smart watches, and exoskeletons are reducing in size, weight, and cost for enterprises, as well as offering the ability to collect and process data in real time.

The report is quoted in the article, finding that wearable technologies can improve workers’ productivity as well as fill in the gaps in their skills or overcome physical limitations. Wearables are being increasingly offered as a service and end-to-end solution, which increases ease of adoption in the enterprise. Other factors that make wearables more attractive for enterprises in the US include:

• The aging workforce
• Skills shortage
• Rise in remote working
• Increase in workplace safety regulations

Wearables enable business leaders to navigate these problems via augmentation of workers’ abilities, e.g. increasing physical strength, providing instructions, alerting for hazards, and facilitating virtual interactions, all of which can potentially increase safety and productivity.

The four ways in which wearables can benefit your workforce as listed in the report are:

• Enhancing strength and endurance. Workers can be equipped with exoskeletons in organisations that require physical labour, helping them to conserve energy and avoid straining. Examples of this include Lowe’s robotic exosuits released in 2017, and Ford’s use of exoskeletons for manufacturing workers. Audi, Gammon, and the US Navy are also utilising or evaluating the tech, which is claimed to be particularly useful for aging workers as it helps to avoid injuries and overexertion.
• Augmenting vision. Instructions offered in a worker’s field of view via AR or VR can aid duration and quality of work, design and data analysis abilities, and improve team collaboration. An example of this is GE Aviation’s use of smart glasses improving efficiency by 8-12% and reducing errors.
• Empowering speech and hearing. Voice-controlled wearables and hearables offer workers hands-free access to instructions to increase efficiency. An example of this is Lufthansa using voice-based headphones that enable a two-technician job to be completed by just one, as one would have to read out instructions. Instead, the maintenance checklist is converted to voice commands which the technician can respond to.
• Improving awareness. Wearables can provide quicker task and situational awareness to workers to aid work quality and productivity. An example of this is the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport’s use of smart watched to alert cleaning crews when / where they are needed.

Worker safety can be improved by these tools by monitoring the worker’s physical status in addition to environmental conditions, notifying them when either becomes dangerous.

The immersive technologies behind extended reality (XR) are having a profound impact on enterprise, allowing companies to interact with their customers in new ways and connect their people more effectively

Customer interaction

XR’s ability to deliver immersive experiences enables brands to connect with consumers in ways that establish emotional connections and bring brands and consumers closer.

Augmented reality (AR) solutions exist that allow users to ‘‘place’’ a vehicle on their driveway, walk around it, open doors and look inside, just as if they were in a car showroom.

Whether they are looking for furniture or fashion, rather than having to visit a physical store to browse the goods on display, customers will be able to put on a headset and appear in a virtual store and interact with ‘‘sales assistants’’ ‒ virtual representations of real humans.

By creating a closer distance to new experiences, XR will allow people to transport themselves to different places and attend live events without leaving their own home.

Connected employees

XR offers huge potential for humans to connect and collaborate on things that would normally require people to be in the same room.

In the field of innovation and design, remote team members can collaborate on complex visual data in real time, enabling the simultaneous co-design by complex items, and the capability to stress-test with real-time design amends. As well as improving productivity and performance by avoiding the delays of bringing people and data together, virtual design collaboration reduces design costs significantly.

For organisations that deploy field workers, XR can enable remote collaboration on complex visual data in real time, and connect highly skilled workers at base with engineers in the field.

AR headsets can provide real-time data delivery to service technicians. They in turn can make repairs to products and systems in people’s homes more efficiently, allowing for quality control on the spot.

A safer space

One of XR’s greatest strengths is its ability to deliver training experiences, particularly for those working in potentially dangerous environments, for example, defence, emergency services and oil and gas industries. XR can simulate these environments without putting trainees at risk.

Learning experiences can also be delivered to employees wherever they are via the devices that they use every day, as most smartphones and tablets have the requisite hardware to run AR applications already.

Remote expert coaching could also be prerecorded and stored in a training library for employees. For instance, an auto manufacturer could offer VR and AR training packages to help mechanics maintain vehicles.

Smarter libraries

As a means of delivering information, XR can effectively place rich data in context, thereby getting better results.

For example, a manager working in a production facility who previously relied on a dashboard of metrics on their computer screen could instead walk through the plant and see contextually relevant information overlaid above each piece of machinery ‒ with a machine flashing red if it’s about to malfunction – a far more obvious signal than an elevated figure on a spreadsheet column.

However it is used, XR represents a significant change in the way we interact with technology and the world around us. The emergence of smartphones has radically altered our behaviour in so many ways we take for granted, whether that’s being able to map the best route to a destination and preview the front door before you even leave, or meeting a potential client at a conference and being able to share details instantly through social media.

The ubiquity and scale of the changes from XR will be the same – in ways we can’t even imagine.

We were delighted yet unsurprised to see the use of AR on the list.  We have reproduced the section on AR for the benefit of our readers:

• Highlight the benefits of automation
• Companies must nurture young talent
• Manufacturers must take control
• Reach out to families and teachers
• Combine study with work
• Share talent around the globe
• Invest in postgraduate qualifications
• Use augmented reality.

The section on augmented reality was answered by Youssef Mestari, Programme Director of the Connected Plant initiative at engineering giant Honeywell.

Traditional education is one solution. But in the short term it’s more important that companies find effective ways to retain the years of on-the-job experience they already have. Intelligent deployment of emerging technologies will play a central role here, with solutions like augmented reality providing new ways to record industry veterans at work, creating active assistance for workers and immersive training sessions.  Augmented reality has been shown to reduce technical training from six to just two months.

In a business environment where markets are unpredictable and margins are tightening, finding efficient ways to retain skills, accelerate training and cut costs will be key to remaining competitive.

She writes: Over the past few years, the trajectory of the augmented reality (AR) industry has been tumultuous at best.

Consumers gushed over Snapchat’s AR hotdog. They sang their hearts out through AR Facebook filters when Taylor Swift released her Reputation album. And when Pokemon Go exploded, they ran around their neighborhoods, schools, and local parks chasing fictional creatures as if their lives depended on it. It seemed like the game might be the catalyst that AR enthusiasts had been waiting for. But when even the hype around Pokemon Go dissipated into just another fad, industry leaders were again left asking, When will AR have its blast-off moment?

The short answer? It might not. But that’s not a bad thing.

There’s a more efficient and realistic way to drive consumer adoption of AR, and it doesn’t have anything to do with a singular tipping point. Instead, consistent mainstream adoption will take hold when the utility and practicality of the technology creates real, tangible value for those who would use it in their everyday lives.

Instead of one-and-done AR campaigns where there is little incentive for consumers to engage with the technology consistently, the evolution of AR needs to focus on adding value by solving problems consumers face in the various facets of their lives.

Industries like retail, education, and healthcare have massive opportunities to utilize AR in increasingly convenient and meaningful ways. Once companies more regularly integrate AR into their broader customer experience strategies, consumers will also be able to interact with the technology on a more consistent basis.

She goes on to provide three examples of brands across several industries using AR to provide more value to their customer. The full article can be read here.

It is worth mentioning in response to this article that ROI is a key concern in the forefront of the minds of business executives. The AREA provided research on this topic of ROI calculator and a guide for best practice which can be found here.

We hope that a browse around the AREA website can help to educate and inform people. Start with our glossary!  We have a wide range of use cases and webinars that aim to increase the understanding of those in enterprise of how AR can help solve business problems.

Findings included:

Consumers are still confused by the differences between AR and VR.

• Almost all feel AR isn’t relevant to their lives
• Most feel AR is meant to provide a way to try something, such as a product or experience
• Brands expected to adopt AR include Google, Microsoft, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Amazon and Nike
• Many would be interested in augmented reality tools relating to shopping and retail
• Most became aware of AR through gaming

The full article can be read here:

At the beginning of 2017, Scandit’s aim was mainly focused on providing technology to enterprises to leverage standard smartphones with custom software on top instead of businesses having to use expensive proprietary scanning hardware.

To help streamline warehouses, Scandit have used wearable displays such as Microsoft HoloLens. One example posted on their blog in 2016 described how a warehouse employee using a HoloLens headset could be steered towards the correct objects with virtual markers, and the camera could be utilised for a hands-free experience. The blog is also quoted to have explained that HoloLens can direct users to where items should be placed once scanned and provide additional information about them.

The latest round of funding will contribute towards Scandit’s global growth and also introducing its technology across a range of mobile platforms and “camera-equipped device[s]” as quoted from a press release.

Samuel Mueller, CEO, is quoted to have said that the raise will allow the company to maintain their rapid growth as well as increase adoption of Augmented Reality and mobile computer vision in the enterprise, leading to reductions in cost.

These disruptive technologies from enhanced artificial intelligence accessibility, to the rise of augmented and virtual reality, contribute massively to game-changing ideas that are ready to bring a ground-breaking change in the way business enterprises function. This year, we will see these trendy technologies dictate how business function and what new products and services will be offered to the customers in the near future.

On the list are:

1. Citizen AI: Artificial Intelligence to Welfare Business & society
2. Augmented Reality
3. The Internet of Things
4. Cloud Technology
5. Cyber security
6. Machine learning
7. Voice-controlled chatbots
8. Blockchain

In the past, they were generally seen as either science fiction concepts that could never be real or as technology restricted to the world of video games. Nowadays, there is an increasing understanding that they have a practical use beyond storytelling and games. Businesses ranging from health to oil and gas are integrating VR and AR into their work processes.

VR is discussed before moving onto AR which does not create an “alternate” reality but uses a display to augment and overlay information and/or images on the world. AR does not rely on the user wearing a special device to see an illusion. These technologies lend themselves well to improving people’s safety. For example, AR technology keeps workers safe by recognizing when a tool is being misused and projecting instructions for proper tool handling from a user’s point of view. Cars may in the future recognize incoming dangerous obstacles by sending information to the driver via projections and graphics that are highlighted on the obstacle on the windshield. Physicians can use AR technology to be alerted to issues during surgeries.

Companies see potential in using VR and AR as a way to preview what a project or location will look like once construction is complete. The architecture company AECOM uses the Microsoft HoloLens to add 3D images of buildings on top of maps to get a better understanding of the layout of large projects. Their code allows people to see projected construction over time plus the environmental and social conditions that will surround the project.

Kalloc Studios developed the software known as Fuzor to create virtual locations so potential investors can preview the locations before they pay the construction companies to start work on the new buildings. There are many other applications that one can imagine for this type of technology. For example, VR may allow a customer to walk into a retail furniture store with a virtual model of the type of room they want to furnish and see how the furniture works in that environment.

VR is also being utilized to treat mental health problems such as paranoia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Virtually Better sells VR software to treat people with phobias, addictions, and PTSD and provides VR training to health providers. There are firms that use VR to treat chronic pain and dementia. VR and AR are playing a role in treating diseases, and they will help create the next generation of doctors as well.

VR technology is useful for training purposes since they can train many people in different locations at the same time. Shafi Ahmed, the co-founder of Virtual Medics and Medical Realities, used VR to live-stream a cancer surgery in 360 degrees to many doctors at once. This allowed doctors to see exactly what the surgeon was seeing and have the opportunity to look around the room.

VR technology can revolutionize how factory workers are trained. For example, new hires could be given a VR helmet on their first day to receive instructions and virtual practice before performing tasks. This allows people to practice in a controlled environment before working on the factory floor. AR goggles can introduce advanced methods as the worker gets more experienced and overlays instructions and reminders when they are needed.

Maintenance is another opportunity.  VR and AR also have great promise in the world of maintenance. VR conferencing technologies such as those built by Virtalis as mentioned above can be used to allow repairmen to get in touch with each other using 360-degree cameras to better troubleshoot a problem. AR technology can provide information as to how to fix a broken part or tool. This is not science fiction. For example, oil and gas companies are already using both VR and AR to help workers better track the status of their energy platforms and their tools. This way, they can use the helmet and goggles to better track the status of all their tools.

The real world will look different as VR becomes more normal and AR augments the world. Realtors already use VR to showcase their houses and will inevitably use AR to display furniture within houses and apartments. Luxury car companies are talking about using VR technology to have people take “virtual” rides within their vehicles; eventually, we may see more bus drivers use AR to highlight changes in traffic.

The science fiction Netflix series Altered Carbon shows how ordinary surgeons may start to use AR glasses to create personal control panels, another character uses AR glasses to “see” what another character is seeing, and a third character uses AR technology to monitor Internet of Things (IoT) sensor data. This is not the future; this technology is already possible.

While the surgeon’s display may not be consumer-ready yet, he is wearing Recon Jet Pro smart glasses you can buy on Amazon right now. The Skylight AR platform already allows AR goggle users to see what other people are seeing. General Electric is using AR technology to help its workers “see” IoT data to help them work more quickly. Altered Carbon may take place centuries into the future, but it is drawing its ideas from existing technology.

VR and AR are still nascent technologies held back by bulk and expense in the case of VR and lack of understanding in the case of AR; over time we will see the two technologies become more common. What we see now are people recognizing the power of VR and AR, and if you think the technologies are exciting wait until more people have the chance to see what it can do.

The term AR has several definition gradations, but it essentially combines data from the physical world to the one that was created with digital tools. The user, therefore, sees reality being supplanted with computer-generated information. This new technology, called augmented reality, blurs the line between what’s real and what’s computer-generated by enhancing what we see, hear, feel, and smell.

Augmented Reality often gets confused with Virtual Reality (VR). However, while VR involves the user wearing a helmet or goggles to immerse themselves within an entire virtual world, AR incorporates elements of the real world along with the virtual world. One major problem with VR is that it takes the user to a desolate space. This is where AR works its magic by showcasing a composite view. AR can be achieved merely with the use of a smartphone which displays elements of the virtual world, making the technology accessible to a broader range of people.

AR will merely revolutionize the structure of commerce. Furthermore, AR will take over the lion’s share of the market totalling over $120 billion by the year 2020.

Augmented Reality enables consumers to experience what they would in a brick-and-mortar store, all from the comfort of their home. While consumers have perused and purchased goods from their smartphones, the process of having to enter credit card information before purchase often led them to abandon their shopping. With the integration of Augmented Reality in the shopping process, consumers can try the product at home via their mobile devices and in the process spend a more significant amount of time interacting with the product.

The higher level of engagement that Augmented Reality endears results in consumers being more invested in the product, with a sunk cost fallacy concerning time coming into play. Augmented Reality can eliminate guesswork or uncertainty that often comes into play when one purchases products online.

AR still being a relatively new technology, provides customers with a feeling of being on the cutting edge with experiences giving products and services in retail a sizeable advantage over their competitors. The buzz and word of mouth virality that is generated by experiences using AR help acquire more customers.

The use of geo-technology can be integrated with AR to incentivize people for coming to specific locations and availing rewards. AR helps provide retailers with the ability to add a layer of gamification and social engineering atop the shopping experience, making it more immersive and interactive. A significant drawback of this in AR is that refining this technology requires a developer team pushing out constant updates which can tentatively lead to consumers ditching the app if it doesn’t fulfil their needs at the moment.

As opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach, AR provides endless customization for mobile commerce. From choosing the right size of clothing to running promotional campaigns via Android or iOS applications, AR does it all. The role of Augmented Reality, however, is not limited to any one industry. The use of this technology also applies to industries such as manufacturing, education & training, travel & tourism.

As we see today, customers are becoming more demanding and sophisticated with the growth of the production market. Fortunately, AR can assist retailers and businesses with a compelling solution to this demand. Coupling AR with marketing strategies could help early adopters of the technology provide an unparalleled immersive experience for customers and help give retailers an edge over their competitors. This seems to be an excellent time for businesses to have a full AR strategy to make sure they don’t fail to keep up with the commerce revolution

“Our first AR/VR standard represents an important step in addressing key emerging technology areas,” said Brian Markwalter, senior vice president of research and standards, CTA talking about the inclusion of the AR/VR standards: “The industry created this standard to build upon definitions created by CTA’s AR/VR Working Group that provide consumers insight on the broad range of technologies and experiences available. With this standard, the industry has created a blueprint to more effectively support AR/VR technologies and bring them to a broader market.”

Scope AR, known for their work on an industry AR platform for real-time remote assistance and AR guided smart instructions, have been actively involved in pushing the limitations of the technology further. Montgomerie, commented on the CTA standards saying: “While the enterprise is currently where the use cases and initial revenue are coming from, it will be advances in consumer hardware that have the economies of scale to pay for the innovation.

“However, there is still a lot of confusion among everyday consumers when it comes to understanding the differences between ‘mixed reality’ vs. ‘merged reality’ vs. ‘augmented reality’ vs. ‘virtual reality,’ not to mention the various capabilities of different HMDs.” Montgomerie explains: “This is why we 100% applaud the CTA for taking a stance and offering to standardize such terms, since eliminating this confusion in the industry can only help drive adoption from consumers and enterprises alike. It’s a big step forward for the industry overall and a sign of its growth and maturity.”

Back in June of this year Montgomerie talked about Apple’s ARKit 2.0 commenting on how the advancements in the platform and technology were steps in the right direction helping to move the industry towards the dream of delivering the full potential that AR has to offer.

The CTA free standard library is available online for free and will continue to grow to provide further support and transparency for users on the rapidly growing technologies that it covers. This year’s CTA Sales and Forecasts reported that VR has become a $1 billion (USD) sector within the U.S alone with a projected 4.9 million units to be sold within 2018.