A recent article from TheBusinessDeck has reported that the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership will invest £5 million in the University of Nottingham’s Institute of Advanced Manufacturing, UK. It is expected that by the end of 2017, construction on the centre (located near Derby Road) will be completed. This will cost a total of approximately £23 million, including the £5 million investment from the LEP which has been confirmed by the Infrastructure and Investment Board of D2N2.
Advanced facilities for teaching, training, and research in manufacturing will be available, enabling graduates to provide for the local and wider community using skills gained. The new Institute will produce an 8000 square metre training and research area, and is predicted to create many jobs within its initial five years. In addition to this, it will aid manufacturing companies in the LEP and other areas, using expert skills to attend to technical faults and help promote new technology products.
The chief executive of the D2N2 LEP, David Ralph, is quoted to have said that the Institute will be a world-class facility that will help establish a new industrial strategy as the Government desires, especially in manufacturing. He also said that it will allow organisations to grow through creating new products and innovating, as well as attract skilled individuals and keep talented graduates. The D2N2 is also pursuing the same aims as the new Institute via European funding.

The press release issued by SB Wire gives information about the Smart Glass market.
Global Smart Glass Market includes Market Share, Trends, Research, Review, Analysis, Demand, Growth, Supply Chain, Revenue, Growth Rate, Gross Margin, Size, Key Manufacturers Analysis and Forecast.
The report offers an in-depth study of the “Global Smart Glass Market”.

The “Smart Glass” report offers the following:
• Projects the growth rate of the Smart Glass market during the forecast period
• Brief overview Smart Glass market
• Estimates the size and valuation of the Smart Glass industry in the coming years
• Key drivers and restraints affecting the growth of the Smart Glass market
• Latest trends in the Worldwide Smart Glass market
• Opportunities for the Smart Glass market to grow in the near future
• Segments the Worldwide Smart Glass market on the basis of product type, Smart Glass Market application, and end user segments
• Lists some of the key players and analyzes their share in the Smart Glass market

A Sample of the Report can be accessed here.

Earlier this week, Perkins Coie and Upload released the results of a survey they had conducted, involving ARVR startup founders and tech company executives.

Challenges facing mass adoption of Augmented and Virtual Reality are listed in the report, including:

• Inadequate content offerings
• Regulation and legal risks
• Tech and intellectual property licensing
• Product liability/health and safety issues
• Consumer privacy/data security
• User experience (e.g. technical glitches)
• Cost
• Lack of an established market
• Requires more time and resources to develop technology
• Funding rounds for startups are still quite small

However, it is anticipated that AR will gain more traction in the near future, since its potential to attract consumers was realised even before the Pokemon Go phenomenon. As well as affordable apps and games, AR can offer practical uses. In addition, 89% of respondents to the survey said that in the next two years, VR and smartphone manufacturers will prioritise mobile VR tech development; this continued focus on mobile devices tackles problems related to bulky equipment requirements and cost.
ARVR startup respondents are also taking a long-term view by considering their growth strategy over the next three years. Will Mason, co-founder of Upload is quoted to have said that this is due to the evolution of the ARVR ecosystem, and startup companies are also actively seeking funding for growth.

Sectors expected to get the majority of investment for ARVR tech in the next year went as follows:

• Gaming (78% of respondents)
• Movies and television (40% of respondents)
• Live events (34% of respondents)
• Education (30% of respondents)
• Healthcare/medical devices (24% of respondents)

A post on ptc.com recently wrote of how Augmented Reality is reshaping field service. The article states that the recent popularity of the smart phone based game Pokémon GO proves just how quickly consumers can become accustomed to viewing both digital and physical content. This creates the potential for enterprise adoption of Augmented Reality for multiple uses, such as field service and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul operations. Deloitte Consulting claims the field service industry is set to benefit.

Augmented Reality (AR) can help in field service by:

• The power of visual information, delivering multimedia content to an abundance of different learners. With 65 percent of the population being visual learners, AR devices on, for example, tablets, allow the use of imagery in order to understand information. Verbal learners also benefit from hearing the information, which can be delivered from AR, as can experiential learners, who learn by doing, with AR giving them the opportunity to physically put their hands on equipment.
• Engaging a new generation of technicians, with the excitement and addictive way AR delivers content. Many of the media-savvy generation would rather take training in field service tasks with information delivered by Augmented Reality than by other means.
• Field service effectiveness, making sure that the right people with the correct skills are in the proper place. Although Augmented Reality is diverse and may aid a range of products, this article suggests that the results remain the same: improving first-time fix rates and average repair times.

In January of this year, the 19th Annual Global CEO Survey showed that the majority of CEOs (77%) believe that advances in technology will transform their business over the next five years. A recent PwC technology article has expanded on this, explaining that businesses struggle to keep up with the acceleration of technology, despite more executives becoming knowledgeable about tech.

The article mentions five catalysts of change that contribute towards companies integrating technology in their industry:
• Becoming more comfortable with technology
• Globalisation of technology
• Advantage of technology in terms of competition
• Cheaper access to technology
• The multiplier effect of technology
In addition, PwC analysed technologies with the most impact, and made a list of eight essential technologies that are currently relevant:
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• 3D Printing
• Virtual Reality (VR)
• Augmented Reality (AR)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Robots
• Drones
• Blockchain
Finally, the article claims that the technologies above will greatly affect certain aspects of business, including:
• Customer Engagement
• People and Talent
• Strategy
• Operations
• Compliance

It concludes by advising CEOs to strategically use technology to their company’s advantage as well as protecting their business against competitors using the technology. An important part of any business’s strategy should be developing their action plan for using new technology. Although it is difficult to get ahead of changes in technology, companies must adapt. Questions are also posed in order to aid organisations in their involvement with technology, such as whether or not they have a lasting innovation process.

An article on Med Gadget makes use of an extensive research report released in May 2016 by DecisionDatabases.com covering market size, overview, growth trends and future prospects of the Augmented and Virtual Reality market. The analysis is based on type, technology, component and verticals, and includes information about driving forces, restrictions and opportunity in the ARVR industry.

Driving forces include:
• Increasing interest in head-mounted displays (HDMs) in the entertainment and gaming industries
• Affordable displays and other components in HDMs
Restrictions include:
• Poor resolution
• Related health concerns
• Energy consumption reduces performance quality of VR devices

Naturally, the market demand for ARVR products is likely to increase as advertising and marketing grow. Awareness of the public about this type of technology, integration of the technology, and industry adoption is also set to aid ARVR market growth. The software component of Augmented and Virtual Reality is expected to have the highest compound annual growth rate from 2016 to 2022.

In addition, due to the increasing consumer market in Eastern countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea, it is anticipated that the ARVR market in Asia Pacific will have a double-digit growth by 2022. The great amount of startups will also support this growth by expanding strategic partnerships and increasing foreign investment. The report included a number of key players in the industry, including:
• Vuzix Corporation
• Samsung Electronics Co.
• Oculus VR
• Magic Leap
• Microsoft Corporation
• Blippar Inc.
• Daqri LLC
• Meta Company
• Google Inc.

A recent article presented on psfk.com announced that Intel’s brand new chip module, Joule, is working as a catalyst in terms of automation. This tiny rectangular chip aims to grant developers the ability to bring dynamic computer vision into their own prototypes. Intel hopes that Joule will aid developers to make products not only more affordable, but accelerate the process and bring such products to the market more quickly.
Joule was unveiled at a demo at the Intel Developer Forum in San Fransisco. Joule operated volt verification on an aircraft segment, with the help of PivotHead’s smart glasses; the glasses themselves were simply a pair of industrial safety glasses.
It is said that Joule has no need for wires, a Bluetooth connection or Wi-Fi to evaluate and compute data, neither does it need a smartphone app, all that’s required is a screen. Intel’s chip handles all processing inside, emitting consistent power, even when connectivity is low.
Kits will be available to purchase on sites such as Newegg, and sales of Joule are expected to be in more than 100 countries before the end of 2016. There will be a choice of two kits, details of which are available in the article. Joule’s primary use will be in a manufacturing and development setting.

An article from the Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry website explains how digital health solutions in the form of wearables are currently being explored by a wide range of branches in the healthcare industry.
Specifically devices worn on the body that collect and transmit biometric data. The development of such products is now happening at a faster rate due to increasing competition, firm investment, and profitable returns.

Key points from developers’ discussion on collaboration include:
• Medical wearables developers who excel at collaboration are most efficient
• The pipeline leverages expertise from diverse supply chain partners e.g. specialists in data analytics, cloud computing, mobile apps, sensors, clinical research, physiology, and other medical fields
• Select trusted partners with experience
• Product development cycles can be quicker if suppliers share experiences
• Cross-functional teams can discuss core functionality, desired end user experience and aesthetics

Key points concerning quality, safety, and risk management are outlined such as prioritising quality standards and regulatory compliance from the start of product development to reduce cost and time; additionally, collaborating with suppliers who are ISO 13485 certified.
Practical additional points are covered, such as scaling of prototypes, ability to scale quickly once commercialisation happens and the commitment to resolve key questions rapidly.
To conclude, due to the rapid evolution of wearable medical devices, course corrections and new perspectives will always be necessary. Original equipment manufacturers should partner with suppliers in order to stay ahead of the innovation curve and be more able to keep up with new developments in the industry.

The findings below are taken from a recent report entitled The Human Cloud At Work (HCAW) A Study Into The Impact Of Wearable Technologies In The Workplace, the findings of which are summarised on the MHL News blog.
The findings, as reported by Tech Times, indicated that wearable technology aids productivity. Results show that productivity of employees using wearables increased by 8.5%, and satisfaction with their job increased by 3.5%.
In addition, 86% of companies in the US have plans to invest more in wearable devices in 2016, according to a study by Salesforce. 40% of these were interested in monitoring time management and communication of their employees via the use of wearables.
The blog links through to another article on Forbes which lists some thought-provoking statistics about wearables, including:
• This year, the wearables market will hit almost $3 billion, and $4 billion next year
• In 2015, nearly 50 million wearable devices were shipped
• Over 125 million devices are predicted to ship in 2019
• 23% of companies are starting to test wearables in workplace security access, 20% in employee communication, and 20% in time management
• 54% of companies are currently supporting a ‘bring your own wearable’ model, and another 40% are planning to support one in future
• By 2019, the wearables market is expected to increase by 35%

A new research report by MarketStudy forecasts that the compound annual growth rate of the global smart glasses market from 2016 to 2020 will be 19.88%. The full report covers the current status of the market as well as future prospects, and was calculated based on the revenue from previous smart glasses sales.

Key points addressed in the report include:

• The market size in 2020
• Growth rate
• Key market trends
• What is driving the market
• Challenges to market growth
• Key vendors in the market
• Market opportunities
• Threats faced by key vendors
• Strengths and weaknesses of key vendors.
The global smart glasses market is separated into Americas, APAC, and EMEA based on geography, and the report covers the market landscape in addition to growth prospects for future years. The key vendors within the market include AGC, Corning, DuPont, PPG, Saint-Gobain, and many others.