Through the use of Area Targets, industrial organisations can create AR interfaces within their facilities to enable employees to better engage with machinery and understand how the environment is being utilised.

More information can be found here https://library.vuforia.com/features/environments/area-targets.html

PTC says that with support from Matterport and Leica 3D scanners, along with NavVis’s indoor mobile mapping systems, Area Targets users can generate “photorealistic, survey-grade digital twins, empowering them to create digital canvases of spaces such as factories, malls, or offices for advanced spatial computing applications”.

As one of the leading emerging technologies, spatial computing powers digital twin renderings to support the activities of machines and people, as well as environments in which they operate.

When deployed across the industrial enterprise, spatial computing enables seamless interactions between employees through AR, enabling companies to close the loop on performance management, improve machine learning capabilities with spatial analytics, and optimise design and factory floor operations,” notes PTC.

“Vuforia Engine Area Targets is a one-of-a-kind solution for large, persistent AR experiences,” said Mike Campbell, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Augmented Reality, PTC.

“Whether users are looking to add navigation to their office building or view in-context data on a factory floor, Area Targets is the answer. We’re pleased to be expanding such a key capability and component of PTC’s spatial computing vision.”

The release of Vuforia Engine Area Targets marks the second Vuforia offering to deploy spatial computing in the form of area targets within the industrial setting, the first being the Vuforia Spatial Toolbox platform.

Combined with the Vuforia Chalk, Vuforia Expert Capture, and Vuforia Studio AR products, the Vuforia AR Enterprise Platform provides what PTC says is a “robust set of offerings that enables users to increase workforce safety and efficiency, improve customer experiences, and reduce costs”.

CooperVision has successfully deployed Vuzix M400 Smart Glasses equipped with LogistiVIEW’s Vision+ augmented reality warehouse software to provide hands-free picking guidance at their 275,000 square foot West Henrietta, New York distribution site, which at any given time stores more than 120,000 different contact lens products.

LogistiVIEW’s Vision+ Software Automation Platform combines the best of traditional picking tools including augmented reality PTL, visual instructions, voice interaction, gesture control, and RF scanning, into a single system.

The combined set of instructions are delivered to the worker intuitively and hands-free through Vuzix M400 AR Smart Glasses, avoiding the need for any bolted down infrastructure. AI and computer vision add an intelligence layer to the process, optimizing tasks and pick sequence for the best possible efficiency.

At the CooperVision warehouse, employees are now using Vuzix Smart Glasses to assist with order picking.

Vuzix’ M400 Smart Glasses equipped with LogistiVIEW’s Vision+ software provides a hands-free solution that is delivering efficiency gains in our operations,” said Michele Bosa, Vice President, Americas Distribution of CooperVision.

“The ability to offer LogistiVIEW’s patented computer vision and AR visualizations on Vuzix Smart Glasses provides customers like CooperVision with a highly flexible solution to boost the efficiency and accuracy of their operations,” said Seth Patin, Founder and CEO of LogistiVIEW.

“The versatility of our M400 Smart Glasses continues to drive customer demand across a wide range of industry verticals and it’s great to see CooperVision using Vuzix M400 Smart Glasses in their Upstate New York distribution center to deliver hands-free productivity gains in their operations,” said Paul Travers, President and CEO of Vuzix.

Read the original Vuzix press release about CooperVision here.

Through the partnership Arvizio and Sight Power will offer stakeholders a seamless integration of mining data, 3D models and LiDAR scans to be shared between Sight Power’s Digital Mine platform and Arvizio’s Immerse 3D augmented reality solution. The combination will provide the mining industry with an integrated suite of mining operations software and AR to help optimize the mining process by reducing costs, improving efficiencies, increasing productivity, and enhancing safety, according to Arvizio.

Augmented reality technology represents an important aspect of the mining industry’s digital transformation and it is increasingly emerging as a key component to incorporate and visualize mine planning data in the design, operations, resource management, and investor relations processes.

Sight Power’s Digital Mine platform is a system for collecting and processing detailed information relating to all operations and work processes in the mining enterprise. This information, when merged with modeling, monitoring, and distributed sensor systems, offers a cohesive solution to automate daily, routine operations for geologists, mining engineers, mine surveyors, and other specialists, which can help to increase labor productivity and reduce technical errors, according to the company.

Arvizio’s Immerse 3D solution allows 3D models and LiDAR scans to be visualized in AR. Combined with Digital Mine, the two platforms allow for the visualization of LiDAR scans and geological models from mining operations that may cover many miles/kilometers and include multiple layers. Furthermore, Immerse 3D enhances the Digital Mine platform by extending its capabilities to include multi-user, multi-location AR visualization and collaboration in fully synchronized sessions utilizing web meeting platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

“Our work with leading mining companies using Digital Mine demonstrated that combining operational technology, monitoring systems, devices and spatial datasets into a single workflow system, streamlines mining operations at every phase,” said Sergey Reznichenko, CEO at Sight Power. “We are delighted to team with Arvizio to integrate Immerse 3D AR visualization into our workflows and use augmented reality to empower stakeholders around the world for a more efficient exchange of information, problem solving, verification of key operations and safety systems in their mining projects.”

Arvizio stated that its Immerse 3D platform extension enhances the capabilities of Sight Power’s Digital Mine technology and can be applied to the following use cases:

• Supporting staff training and equipment repairs to reduce operational costs and downtime;
• Extending Digital Twin capabilities for processing plants for real-time monitoring;
• Real-time virtual presence at mining sites;
• On-going evaluation of mine evolution models to identify issues and avoid costly overruns.

A press release dated March 16, 2021, London, UK reveals that AREA member RealWear, Inc., the global leader of hands-free head-mounted wearables, today announced that Mace Group (‘Mace’), a global consultancy and construction firm headquartered in London, deployed RealWear’s assisted reality wearable computers running voice-enabled Microsoft Teams, paving the way forward for the global construction industry. For the first time, the voice-activated RealWear HMT-1 wearable device has enabled hundreds of its workers and clients to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and reduce its carbon footprint via using the device for remote inspections during the construction process.  The wearable deployment marks a first for the construction industry.

Mace works on a number of construction projects both in the UK and across the globe. When the pandemic hit and travel restrictions came into effect, Mace envisioned an entirely new and safer way to inspect building façades. To operate as effectively and as safely as possible under seemingly indefinite social distancing restrictions, it needed a solution that would enable inspection work to still be carried out but with minimal people onsite than normally permitted.

RealWear’s assisted reality head-mounted wearable computers require only a single site inspector to be physically present, while multiple others ‘view’ the site clearly and remotely from their own location, via a feed that streams from the innovative headset directly to the viewer’s handheld or laptop computer. The technology negates the need to physically travel to a site, while also delivering on Mace’s requirement for its workforce to be fully connected through remote collaboration. Furthermore, the deployment has banished the logistical and planning complexities of trying to coordinate the diaries of several site inspectors to be present at the same time on the same day. Since the completion of the deployment this month Mace has been able to reduce in-person site visits, and its Façade team has seen a 75% reduction in travel; not only has this resulted in a reduction in carbon emissions, but the time saved has freed up staff to be more productive during the course of their day.

“With its willingness to embrace the future, it’s appropriate that Mace is at the head of the curve within the construction industry with respect to deploying wearable technology,” commented Phil Sedge, Head of Facade, Mace Group. “Since the deployment, we have seen improvements in the decision-making process, and we’re able to share real-time information instantaneously. The technology has enabled us to reduce the number of staff travelling to site, without any compromises to the quality of our work. The time saving and environmental benefits deliver further advantages.” He added: “RealWear’s reinvestment back into product development has also impressed us, which means that the foundations of this technology are future proofed. We only wish we had deployed it sooner.”

Following an in-depth consultation with RealWear partner, SystemActive, which involved various demos via video conference, Mace selected RealWear’s purpose built, voice enabled HMT-1 over other solutions available in the market, including smart glasses. The RealWear headsets met Mace’s requirements for no compromises on safety, for hands-free operation and the ability to clip to the side of hard hats. Its other requirements included durability and functionality at the right price point; two other areas where RealWear excelled.

The deployment began in June 2020. SystemActive worked with Mace’s IT team to create a bespoke operating system for the HMT-1, which was tailored so that many of its out-of-the-box features could only be used for collaborating with clients and colleagues who were not physically present on site. Once the operating system was set up, the wearable headsets arrived on site and were ready to use. Training from both RealWear and SystemActive included on-boarding sessions to bring Mace’s personnel up to speed on how to log on to video conferencing and join meetings, and a walkthrough of the functions of the camera and video stream.

“From a health and safety, durability and price perspective, RealWear’s device ticked a lot of boxes. We worked with the senior teams at Mace to ensure the device was as easy as possible for everyone to use and that the bespoke operating system met Mace’s needs. We’re thrilled with the positive feedback from Mace on the deployment and look forward to working with the team in a continued rollout,” added Ross Riley, Head of Immersive, SystemActive.

“RealWear’s HMT-1 is purpose built for productivity, even in extreme environments due to its ruggedness, durability and functionality,” said Jon Arnold, VP of Sales, RealWear Inc. “With software updates to come in March that will further improve the user experience, the HMT-1 is set to be a central part of Mace’s workflow, both now and in the future,” he added.

Based on this level of success, Mace plans to surpass the 150-unit mark over the next few months as it ramps up deployment of RealWear’s HMT-1 globally. The company has recently procured more units to go out to one of its sectors in Peru to help with monitoring of a project and its various phases, including safety inspections. It has also increased awareness through its supply chain who have started to adopt the technology.

Read the original press release and RealWear’s AREA member profile.

Through this partnership, California’s next-generation manufacturing plants will have access to education programs that will enable them to incorporate Taqtile’s cutting-edge enterprise expertise into their day-to-day operations. Opportunities for members to learn about Manifest, Taqtile’s augmented reality (AR) training and upskilling platform, will be offered by CMTA over the coming months. Insights on leveraging AR to access the expertise of knowledgeable frontline personnel, including step-by-step maintenance procedures and repair instructions, will empower manufacturers and their frontline staff to improve efficiencies, accuracy and productivity.

“Innovative partners like Taqtile help us deliver state-of-the-art technologies that will tangibly benefit emerging and fast-paced manufacturing processes,” said CMTA President, Lance Hastings. “Bringing solutions like Manifest to our members allows us to ensure we’re fulfilling our mission of helping California’s manufacturers grow and remain competitive globally. We owe it to our membership and the more than 1.2 million California manufacturing workers to provide access to emerging technologies that empower them in their jobs and create better efficiencies across their organizations.”

“CMTA is providing world-class support for California’s manufacturers and introducing cutting-edge technologies that will help these companies increase their competitiveness,” said Taqtile cofounder and CEO, Dirck Schou. “The intuitive Manifest platform delivers to organizations the ability to leverage the expertise of their most knowledge employees, empowering frontline personnel to perform complex tasks more safely, efficiently, and accurately. We anticipate that a significant number of CMTA members will explore Manifest and apply it to their long-term advantage.”

About Taqtile
Taqtile, winner of the 2020 Microsoft Partner of the Year Award in the Mixed Reality category, builds enterprise software that leverages augmented reality to make Everyone an Expert, capturing the unique knowledge of company experts and sharing that knowledge with frontline workers. By virtually transporting the knowledge of experts when and where it’s needed, sometimes under the most urgent circumstances, Taqtile customers enhance operational capabilities and improve performance. The Manifest platform allows company experts to easily document and record tribal knowledge, and distribute it across an entire workforce, enabling less experienced operators to easily follow instructions and complete complex tasks safely and consistently. For more information on Manifest, please visit www.taqtile.com.

About CMTA
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association works to improve and enhance a strong business climate for California’s 30,000 manufacturing, processing and technology-based companies. Since 1918, CMTA has worked with state government to develop balanced laws, effective regulations and sound public policies to stimulate economic growth and create new jobs while safeguarding the state’s environmental resources. CMTA represents 400 businesses from the entire manufacturing community – an economic sector that generates more than $300 billion every year and employs more than 1.2 million Californians.

As discussed in Rio Tinto’s 2020 Annual Report, Rio Tinto has been focused on working safer and smarter and as part of that effort they increased their use of drones and mine pit cameras and introduced video headsets (including smart glasses) to conduct visual inspections of tailings facilities and equipment while complying with travel restrictions and physical distance requirements. At the Oyu Tolgoi underground project, Rio Tinto used Vuzix Smart Glasses to enable technical experts from all over the world to work with local teams on the project site.

“Vuzix Smart Glasses usage continues to expand across an ever-widening array of industry verticals,” said Paul Travers, Vuzix President and Chief Executive Officer. “Companies like Rio Tinto, which is a global leader in its field, continue to provide validation of the value and effectiveness of our products in real world situations.”

Read Vuzix AREA member profile

Read original press release on Vuzix website.

Jonathan Vigdorchik, M.D., last month replaced the knees of two patients, who suffered severe arthritis in their knee joints, while using special glasses that enabled him to review crucial surgical data while performing the operations.

Dr. Vigdorchik this week examined both patients, who are in their 50s, and reported they were doing well.

Augmented reality superimposes digital content, such as 3-D images or visual instructions, onto a user’s view of the real world through mobile devices and wearable headsets. Companies for years have been working with early versions of the technology in design, training and other areas. Increasingly, health-care providers have been expanding their use of AR for procedures that require extreme precision.

In knee surgery, the technology gives a surgeon the ability to see and follow operating plans projected onto the lens of smart glasses, allowing for more precise removal of bone and cartilage and more accurate positioning of a knee implant.

Read the full article on the WSJ here.

Many tech insiders and analysts believe the AR glasses will replace smartphones in the next 8-10 years.

MagicLeap, another AREA member, has now shifted its focus on selling AR glasses to industrial users.

Tech companies are exploring the technology’s business relevance and its role in the workforce enablement, customer experience and product enhancement.

AR technology holds tremendous promise for changing the way businesses operate.

Just a few of the kinds of benefits that businesses are experiencing are: contextualised information, increased workflow standardisation, hands-free assistance and documentation.

Read the full original article to find out more.

With buzz rising over virtual and augmented reality technologies, Van Harken said it was clear that this was a space in which his company belonged.

“It became very apparent the immediate benefits from those programs — the value was immediately realized and spoke volumes,” said Van Harken, co-founder and chief strategy officer for Th3rd Coast Digital Solutions. “It made our decision easy. We’re going to put more of our focus into the enterprise and training side of things.”

 Augmented reality is when a user utilizes a device to view real world environments overlaid with computer-generated perceptual information with which the user can interact. Virtual reality provides an immersive experience where a user operates in a simulated environment.

Both technologies, referred to as extended reality (XR), have long been evolving and now are finding a place in manufacturing.

Training game-changer

Some manufacturers are early adopters of these technologies for a variety of applications, from employee training to product development and marketing.

Forging a strategic partnership with Boston-based computer software and services company PTC — and its AR software development kit (SDK) Vuforia — Th3rd Coast is heavily involved in the XR space.

Van Harken said it’s a welcome addition to manufacturing.

“A lot of people in those spaces are really in an analog state — pen to paper, no traceability, no digital threads through anything,” he said. “So, just getting anything digitized in that realm is a huge step forward. But, if you can create more efficiencies with how to train people faster and better, then you create a more agile and nimble workforce that can adapt to various changing conditions in the factory.”

Still, barriers exist in adapting XR technology, as seen in the fact that primarily large manufacturers are the ones adopting it. Education is a key part of the challenge, according to Van Harken.

To address this need for market education, Van Harken and Th3rd Coast established a nonprofit news network on XR technologies. The network, found at th3rdeyexr.com, highlights different ways that enterprise users are applying these technologies.

Training is one primary application for XR, providing an immersive experience even when a user is not necessarily on the shop floor. Through these technologies, manufacturers are able to transcend ineffective user manuals and other analog training materials. 

Additionally, it’s difficult to pass down knowledge from employees who were trained with analog materials decades ago.

“When they retire, in the past, that knowledge has retired with them,” Van Harken said. “One thing that XR/AR solutions provide is a method for early-extracting and documenting that knowledge to be able to pass it on. That’s the best way they learn.”

By using XR technology to train workers in the moment, Van Harken said that it can lead to a well-rounded workforce that contains fewer specialists and more generalists. And, for an industry that suffers from a chronic talent gap and workforce shortage, wooing a new generation to the job is vital.

Budget buster?

Price is another barrier that can block small manufacturers from reaping the benefits of XR technology. However, as it evolves, the hardware and technology is slowly becoming more affordable.

For instance, an OculusGo — a virtual reality headset developed by Facebook Technologies — is available for around $200. Walmart Inc. purchased thousands of the devices as it dedicated a large portion of its training to virtual reality.

Hudsonville-based Immy Inc., which recently started doing business as Optique, has an optic display system in the works that is poised to become more accessible to manufacturers of all sizes.

“Our technology and our approach — it’s very different in the fact that it’s very cost effective to manufacture and produce,” said Optique CEO Sam Vilardi. “So, I think the barrier to entry for us isn’t going to be nearly what the competition is so it will allow us to work with smaller manufacturers.”

Outside of training, product design and development is another prime application for XR technology. Vilardi pointed to Steelcase Inc. as an example of a company that utilizes this form of technology to bring together design and development teams from across the country.

“You start to create this experience that allows you to design more effectively and more efficiently because there are a lot of nuances in design,” Vilardi said. “Some people struggle visualizing without being able to see it and touch and feel it. This technology brings it that much closer.”

Optique also looks to improve upon one other factor that can sour manufacturers on using the technology.

“The reason these hardwares have not gained adoption, to be blunt, is they leave a lot to be desired for,” Vilardi said. “The experience sucks. A lot of them create nausea, motion sickness and eye fatigue.”

Marketing tool

Furniture manufacturer Trendway Corp. worked in conjunction with Th3rd Coast to bring augmented reality to its company — but not for training or product design.

The Holland-based company developed an application in 2018 called the Trendway AR Office Builder.

Through a smartphone camera, the app allows the user to digitally place Trendway’s furniture throughout a real world space, giving customers  an idea of how it would look.

The app also links the user to product information on Trendway’s website while housing videos where product experts walk through pertinent information associated with the product.

“In our case, we put together idea starters — it could be packages or full office setups,” said Nancy Stryker, Trendway’s director of marketing.

While the app wasn’t borne out of COVID, the pandemic has forced Trendway to start forging ahead with technology it had already been considering, as is the case with many other manufacturers.

“COVID really accelerated that need and desire for these technologies,” Stryker said. “We’re finding that it’s something that will only continue to grow.”

For further information on Barriers to AR adoption in manufacturing watch The AREA Research Committee webinar.

Attendees were often drawn to events that invited networking and imparted memorable experiences. But as Covid-19 guidelines began to impact work and personal engagements, the appetite for virtual, immersive and interactive events became increasingly important. As more businesses now turn to virtual events to drive engagement with their communities, the role of communication needs to also transform to bring value to each attendee.

Competing for attendee attention at conferences has never been easy, and in virtual settings, it is even more of a challenge. Added to that are the multiple platforms and channels used by the event organizers and the attendee. So how can communication professionals tailor attendee experiences? Here are a few ways that can help spark the creative communication required for successful experiences.

Perception Of Attendees’ Place At Events

While in-person events allow event organizers the flexibility and space to design an atmosphere that can enhance what attendees experience, virtual experiences are often limited to the event application platform. But whether an event is in person or virtual, how attendees perceive their place there can influence where and how they spend their time.

To help close the perception gap for attendees, communication professionals have the opportunity to target their communication by specific groups, interests and activities. For example, apart from the promotion of the general conference, tailoring your communication plans to specific smaller audience segments, such as invite-only virtual group gatherings with CEOs, can be a high-touch experience. Tailoring the discussion around CEO topics and coupling them with fun, interactive experiences like wine tasting can help draw other like-minded attendees who also see the value of their time at the event.

In-The-Moment Communication

The unexpected is sure to happen at events. By including in-the-moment communication as part of the event strategy, the community of attendees has a greater chance to engage by staying in the know. Communication professionals can further curate in-the-moment event experiences by hosting pop-up interview segments with attendees and speakers across social channels.

Bringing this idea to life may start with selecting an important topic that attendees may be interested in. For example, last year, 65% of North American event creators said they believed that diversity was an important focus. Communication professionals can tap into the diversity trend by hosting pop-up interviews around this topic with a “behind-the-scenes” look with speakers before their presentation. This offers the community of attendees an opportunity to engage on the social channels and draw attention to the presentation with a common theme they can relate to and find value in. Leveraging social platforms like Twitter to host these interviews can further encourage in-the-moment communication with the community. 

Thought Leaders As Conference Curators

Historically, the communication program at events has primarily been about general promotion and logistics, helping attendees get to the next activity or presentation. The larger the event size, the more logistical communication is required. But with virtual events, communication professionals have an opportunity to be more impactful by scoping their role beyond tried-and-true strategies.

One way to encourage attendees to experience the conference beyond the traditional emails and Slack channels is by identifying the micro-community segments within your attendees, then partnering with thought leaders who share common interests with those communities to serve as conference experience curators. Having industry thought leaders help guide a micro-community of attendees can create a more intimate and valued virtual experience — one that aligns interest and may even prompt more engagement.

When done well, virtual events that are immersive experiences are unique and imaginative. Communication professionals have had to deliver on traditional plans, which include press releases and blogs to promote the event. But, as virtual or hybrid events become more mainstream, communication professionals have the opportunity to redesign their role and program to become a closer collaborator to event organizers and marketing overall.