An article on PR Newswire reported on the recently announced update on the collaboration between Fieldbit and BP. Fieldbit Hero, an Augmented Reality solution applicable to field services, has been operating at BP Lower 48 sites in New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming for a few months, but its use will now be extended to the rest of BP’s Lower 48 US sites.

The Fieldbit Hero enables field experts to share the technician’s view via real-time video to improve accuracy of diagnosing issues. AR then allows visual instructions and real-time data to be overlaid onto the field worker’s view. Experts can also use the technology to extract visual records and store them for later use.

Advantages of Fieldbit Hero use in the field at BP Lower 48 include:

• Improvements in safety and efficiency
• Reduction in production losses, well downtime, and travel expenses
• Helps preserve practical field services knowledge of workforce

Brian Pugh, Chief Operating Officer at BP Lower 48, is quoted to have said that the company will continue to utilise advances in technology to improve various aspects of their operations, including safety and reliability.

An article on Computer Weekly describes a few ways in which Augmented Reality can boost worker effectiveness, benefit productivity and reduce costs in various sectors.

The three major areas listed in the article as aspects of industry which AR can give an advantage to are:

• Product development and design – e.g. AR imaging is used for determining vehicle dimensions in the automotive industry. This enables designers to communicate and test out changes without the time and cost consuming prototyping.
• Manufacturing and assembly – e.g. AREA member Boeing conducted an aerospace assembly trial involving Google Glass. This allowed technicians to query for instructions while completing complex tasks and view them via the AR headset. The results showed significantly reduced error rates and a 25% reduction in wiring production time.
• Support, maintenance, and inspection – e.g. AR applications on digital tablets can be used in a motor workshop to display locations of certain components, and can also provide instructions and requirements for fixing malfunctions.

The article concludes by claiming that AR has the potential to increase worker effectiveness through use of real-time data displays on new machine interfaces. If more industry enterprises invest in AR, then this can lead to increased efficiency, improved worker safety, and reduced rework.

An article on Iconics recently announced the integration of ICONICS’s human machine interface (HMI) software with RealWear’s head mounted industrial HMT-1™ wearable. The combination of these technologies enables users to have hands-free access to visual historical and real-time data KPIs.  RealWear is a member of The AREA.

Applications of the RealWear HMT-1™ include:

• Industrial IoT data visualisation
• Remote video collaboration
• Technical documentation
• Assembly and maintenance instructions and streamlined inspections

Russ Agrusa, President and CEO of ICONICS, is quoted to have said that the integration of their HMI software with the HMT-1™ hardware gives a solution to users requiring a hands-free interface for accessing untapped data. Sanjay Jhawar, President and Chief Product Officer at RealWear, is also quoted to have said that a safe and ergonomic human-machine interface was able to be developed from the combination of RealWear’s technology and HTML5, and that their partnership enables a complete wearable solution for field workers in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and process control.

Readers are likely to be very interested in Michael Park’s article on Augmented Reality, which focuses on the enterprise. AR is poised to radically improve manufacturing, logistics, and skilled trades.

The technology also has the potential to increase productivity in warehousing and transport by optimizing processes across the entire supply chain. I spoke to AR thought leaders and investors who gave me three key insights from into how the technology will disrupt manufacturing in terms of training, logistics, and transportation.

The article talks through training skilled talent in manufacturing hubs. The technology can spur significant improvements in productivity by shortening the learning curve for on-site staff.  AREA Member Atheer is mentioned, for their platforms which allows access to contextual documentation and resources, step-by-step task guidance, and barcode scanning — all of which can be directly transmitted to an on-site employee’s smart glasses.

This technology could easily be expanded into other skilled trades, such as various engineering disciplines, welding, plumbing, and electricity systems. With the rise of automation potentially eliminating manual roles AR training tools will be useful in future-proofing the global workforce.

The streamlining of logistics operations are discussed with warehouse employees typically performing multiple actions when managing an order. They must locate the correct product, scan it, and deliver it to the loading dock. Greater speed than a human could achieve is made possible.

If used correctly, such technology has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of warehousing operations – DHL is cited as an example.

AR applications could streamline the time it takes to identify packages and determine their route and destination in the transportation industry. For example, an AR mobile app or wearable device can project information about the type of goods being transported, each package’s weight, and whether it is fragile.

With quotes from industry big players and videos, this is an engaging article that discusses a number of relevant applications of augmented reality in industrial settings

Key points from the article include:

• Over $500 million of annual value could be generated in an average postal organisation through investment in advanced tech
• Becoming digital could include use of AI, digital warehouses, augmented workforce, smart collectors, connected vehicles, etc. (Brody Buhler, leader of Accenture’s global post and parcel practice)
• The following have the potential to become a digital business: sales transformation, online loyalty programs, digital marketing, and 24-hour customer service chatbots
• Business models that could be developed include: sharing platforms, digital identifications, B2C subscriptions, payment systems, drone deliveries, and on-demand deliveries
• AI and robotics are already enabling new opportunities for postal organisations, e.g. the US Postal Service is utilising AI to weigh, price, collect mail, and answer questions at collection points
• AR and support applications are aiding the workforce in innovative ways, e.g. pick-by-vision has the effect of improving productivity, and reducing errors and paperwork
• In order to be successful, organisations must consider the following: digital customer interactions, digital in core operations, and new digital delivery models

Highlighted snippets from the article include:

1. The bigger promise for AR (as opposed to the consumer market) which is estimated to become a $49 billion market by 2021, is for the professional hands-on workforce: Access to information and assistance on the go can make a huge difference in speed and efficiency.
2. General Electric is one of several companies quietly testing AR technology as a method for improving productivity and reducing errors.
3. Jay Kim’s comments focus on the excitement that was seized upon by early adopters wanting to make a difference to enterprises where real impact could be felt. “In an increasingly competitive global economic landscape, enterprise buyers look at every edge they can attain to maintain their competitive advantage over others,” Kim says.
4. Another AREA member, Lockheed Martin, is mentioned for their development of mixed reality in the aerospace industry.
5. According to a Forrester Research study, an estimated 14.4 million US workers will be wearing smart glasses in the workplace by 2025.
6. Earlier this year, Google Glass returned with an Enterprise Editionthat fixed many of the technical flaws of the initial product. It can now be tacked on safety glasses, making it suitable for more work environments.

The full article can be read here.

Highlighted snippets from the article include:

1. The bigger promise for AR (as opposed to the consumer market) which is estimated to become a $49 billion market by 2021, is for the professional hands-on workforce: Access to information and assistance on the go can make a huge difference in speed and efficiency.
2. General Electric is one of several companies quietly testing AR technology as a method for improving productivity and reducing errors.
3. Jay Kim’s comments focus on the excitement that was seized upon by early adopters wanting to make a difference to enterprises where real impact could be felt. “In an increasingly competitive global economic landscape, enterprise buyers look at every edge they can attain to maintain their competitive advantage over others,” Kim says.
4. Another AREA member, Lockheed Martin, is mentioned for their development of mixed reality in the aerospace industry.
5. According to a Forrester Research Study, an estimated 14.4 million US workers will be wearing smart glasses in the workplace by 2025.
6. Earlier this year, Google Glass returned with an Enterprise Edition that fixed many of the technical flaws of the initial product. It can now be tacked on safety glasses, making it suitable for more work environments.

“Beyond that, the construction and building industry, specifically, has faced increasing regulations and has at times been slow to adopt new technologies. Construction productivity has decreased by 20 percent in the last 40 years as a result. When labor, materials and overhead account for up to 75 percent of building costs, it is critical that this industry finds ways to improve efficiency, reduce waste and increase competency.

Recently however, the construction industry has quickly become one of the breakout success stories for applications in Augmented Reality (AR). The construction space is ripe with opportunity to take advantage and be a leader in the adoption of AR. As the user interface of the future, AR allows the use of technology to interact with the world in 3-D, the same way users evolved to interact with the world in real life—with hands and eyes.

Because of this, AR technology lends itself particularly well to the entire lifecycle of the commercial construction process—all the way from conceptualizing and designing structures through to post-construction inspections and ongoing maintenance.

Too many construction projects go on and on, with multiple budget revisions and missed completion dates. One of the largest unplanned expenses in construction is associated with change orders and required modifications due to improper planning, errors or unforeseen circumstances. From the outset, AR can show tremendous value by allowing the architect and engineering teams to visualize and show the finished product (or stages) right on-site or within a building. The ability to modify and “view” changes and how it will impact the design can really connect everyone on-site, minimizing errors and significantly reducing lost revenue. Augmented reality can also utilize existing BIM information to provide accurate and detailed overlays ensuring all parties on a construction project are on the same page.

During the construction process, every attempt is made to improve efficiency from saving time, reducing waste and improving safety. With AR-based tools, everyone can be an “expert” by ensuring that they have best practices and expert knowledge in front of them at any stage of the project. From the framer to the electrician and plumber to the site supervisor, information and best practices are key to keeping a project on schedule and within budget. For example, being able to visualize blueprints, see holographic guided instructions for installation of mechanical equipment, or the proper install locations of fasteners will all add to keeping a project on track and progressing efficiently.

Project managers can benefit with AR-based remote assistance tools by being able to support multiple sites and crews from any location, knowing that each project has the required support and direction, without logistical delays. Further, integration of internet of things (IoT) information into the AR view will continue to improve efficiency, reduce time and improve safety on many tasks on the construction site.

Using an AR platform, construction companies can also leverage built-in analytics to capture various data points such as timing information around how long it takes to perform a single step or a procedure overall, as well as checklist verifications, images, videos and measurements. At the completion of a project, construction companies will have an extensive database of analytics from the entire project which will verify that steps and procedures were completed according to specifications, significantly reducing the risk to the construction company post-completion.

The knowledge and assets from the construction process will be used for years ahead from inspection to renovations and repairs. These assets will save massive time and costs by not only being able to verify how the work was completed, but also by being able to overlay as-built information, such as electrical wires within walls, plumbing and even viewing live data associated with mechanical equipment and preventative maintenance measures.

Construction is an industry primed to benefit in every aspect from the use of AR tools and applications. The ability to clearly and effectively communicate information is the foundation of a successful construction project, and having everyone on-site as an “expert” will drive enormous improvements in the overall construction process from planning, to execution, inspection and repairs and renovations. AR will be a key driver in the instant delivery of expert knowledge, but the long tail will be associated with the retention of and access to assets and knowledge captured during the construction process for years to come.”

Company CEO Brian Ballard says the hardware is beginning to mature, but what’s been missing is a development tool for creating content more easily. The latest update to the company’s Skylight development platform includes several new pieces to increase the use of augmented reality inside large companies.

For starters, the company has added a couple of tools that simplify app creation including an Application Builder with pre-built user interface cards that enable non-technical personnel to drag and drop these cards to build a simple workflow application without any coding skill. Skylight Connect is another new piece designed to tap into a company databases without any coding. Upskill claims to handle the connectivity for you in the background. You just point to the database and it does the rest.

If the legacy application is a bit tougher than something Connect can handle, there is also an SDK designed for enterprise programmers to connect to systems that prove a bit more challenging. Finally the company includes Skylight Live, a Facebook Live-like experience that allows a person to broadcast what they are seeing through their smart glasses.

Upskill hopes that their update will bring large companies one step closer to deploying AR applications at scale. Very few enterprises have large scale deployments yet, although ones such as Boeing and GE are seriously testing proof of concept.

Most enterprise companies have a vast legacy infrastructure and the AR applications often have to work with these legacy systems to pull information like inventory, documentation or back office data. This requires a platform that’s been built to handle those kinds of connections.

Skylight has always aspired to be that platform, but the upgrade enhances that and adds tools to bring less technical personnel into the content creation mix.

What’s more, when companies go to the trouble and expense of building an AR app that pulls data from various systems across the company, they don’t necessarily want to be tied to a smart glasses proprietary development system that locks them into a single hardware manufacturer. With Skylight, they can move much more smoothly from headset to headset type without having to redo the code in a substantial way.

The mechanic is on the ground with a plane in Boston that’s in need of engineer servicing, and she is using AR technology (particularly “see what I see” video conferencing features) on the repair with an engineer in San Jose who worked on the original design of the engine.

The engineer can use smart glasses to electronically “circle” a part that needs attention (shown on the screen of the smart glasses so that both the mechanic and the remotely-connected engineer).

The engineer in San Jose can provide more detailed guidance to the mechanic in Boston, getting her to look more closely at various aspects of the aircraft part that she is working on – and provide real-time feedback to the mechanic on the next steps that she needs to take.

How many challenges are solved at once:

• Allowing the engineer in San Jose to deliver detailed, contextual guidance that allows him to see and interact with the malfunctioning aircraft part, so that he is able to scale the delivery of his highly-valued skills to the mechanic in Boston (without having to travel in-person to do so).
• Using an engineer in San Jose to troubleshoot an MRO issue in Boston, which helps provide national and international scale for the engineer’s employer.
• Offering the mechanic in Boston immediate access to the latest task checklists (for working on the troublesome part) – and any existing training videos – directly via her smart glasses before initiating the video conference call to the engineer in . This ensures that valuable aviation engineer time is only sought when other support avenues have been exhausted.
• Getting the right information to the right place – quickly and easily. Using smart glasses (and either voice, gestures or head movements to access the information and remote experts she needs), the mechanic is safely able to get at all the information she needs without having to remove work gloves, move away from the part she is working with or otherwise be distracted from the task at hand.