Introduction to Augmented Reality and the Connected Factory

A couple of weeks ago at OpenText Enterprise World 2018, a brand latest Microsoft HoloLens Augmented Reality application for OpenText Extended ECM was demoed to partners and customers. This application could seem unrelated to ECM at first, but it surely’s actually an ideal match. Augmented Reality brings information from different worlds together, which is precisely what OpenText Extended ECM does – bridging the gap between business applications and collaboration platforms.

What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality is a technology that mixes the true and digital worlds. It’s used to offer a whole view of physical assets, related documentation, and other relevant information. This information can include Big Data Analytics, IoT data, business data, and process information. The goal of Augmented Reality is to offer a holistic view of all the knowledge in real-time.

The Demo: A Connected Factory Example

The demo of the Augmented Reality application was built around a Connected Factory scenario. In this scenario, a manager is notified a few potential disruption and schedules an engineer to perform maintenance. The engineer is guided by the applying, which provides instructions, documents, videos, and 3D models. The application also updates all of the systems and completes the upkeep task.

How it Works

The application uses Microsoft HoloLens to offer a virtual view of the production floor. The engineer can see the assets’ status and the steps to take. The application also uses Microsoft Cortana to offer instructions and guidance. The documents, videos, and 3D models are stored within the business workspace of the asset or part and are integrated with SAP.

Future or Present?

While many Augmented Reality projects are still within the early stages, there are already many real-life applications being developed. For example, Ford uses Augmented Reality to design cars, reducing R&D spend and design time. Other firms are using Augmented Reality for virtual guides, boat wiring, and real-time designs.

Real-Life Applications

Augmented Reality has many potential use cases, including eLearning, real-time assistance, test scenarios, fine-tuning big data, and distant vision. As the devices turn into cheaper, we are able to expect to see Augmented Reality utilized in many more areas.

Ideal Use Cases

Augmented Reality is good to be used cases where multiple information sources need to come back together to offer a holistic view. This can include environments reminiscent of:

• eLearning, for guiding users through information
• Real-time assistance, reminiscent of the Connected Factory scenario
• Test scenarios, without the necessity to physically create the items
• Fine-tuning big data, without re-creating the models or investigating them
• Remote vision, reminiscent of surgery, radiation, underwater, or space exploration

What’s Ahead?

For business, there are huge opportunities in areas reminiscent of:

• Security, including augmented audits of systems, data centers, and offices
• Privacy, including GDPR assessments, interviews, and practices
• Data enrichment, including environment scans, recognition of voice and objects, and site

Conclusion

In conclusion, Augmented Reality is a robust technology that may bring multiple information sources together to offer a holistic view. The Connected Factory scenario is only one example of how Augmented Reality may be utilized in real-life applications. As the devices turn into cheaper and more widely available, we are able to expect to see Augmented Reality utilized in many more areas, including eLearning, real-time assistance, and distant vision.