What augmented reality means

“Augmented” reality is an everyday reality that has been augmented or enhanced by the addition of digital visual information. The image you see in AR is exactly what you see in the real world using your eyes, but with images and text overlaid within your field of view via a wearable device. AR is different from “virtual” reality (VR), in which the user is fully immersed in a digital experience with the headset blocking out the external world completely.

The concept is so widespread that chances are you’ve seen or experienced AR in a basic form. When Iron Man looks through his visor and sees computer readouts alerting him to danger, that’s a form of AR, albeit one filtered through a fictional comic book or movie framework.

In the real world, the mobile game Pokemon Go incorporates augmented reality elements by using your phone’s camera to superimpose cute critters into the real world around you. Snapchat filters are another well known example that you may not think of as augmented reality.

While virtual reality shuts you off from the outside world, requiring new environments to be built, augmented reality integrates digital content into your physical environment.

These examples deliver an impressive, entry-level AR experience using the basic technology available in smartphones. Now imagine what’s possible with a lightweight, wearable computer created specifically with augmented reality in mind– one that can integrate digital content that is contextually aware of the physical environment it’s in.

How augmented reality works

Augmented reality works by analyzing the environment and using triggers around you to display relevant information in the applicable place in your field of view. So, for example, an AR function for a map application might be programmed to detect the logos of specific stores and display details such as store hours when you look at them.

On a smartphone, that’s simply a case of putting the information on the screen. But for a wearable AR headset like Magic Leap, the process is even more immersive. By using information from the built-in eye tracker, virtual content is rendered correctly and slightly differently for each eye, which enables virtual objects to appear at any depth.

Designed for comfort and long-term use

Enterprise-class, head-mounted displays must be designed in a way that lets the user wear them for longer periods of time without causing fatigue or strain. Because the device must fit securely and perform well, Magic Leap did the work to measure performance and comfort on a diverse range of users.

Researchers at Magic Leap spent years capturing 3D scans of hundreds of heads and have seen a wide range of head shapes, sizes, distances between nose bridges and eyes, all to inform the industrial design of the platform. Numerous pad configurations for forehead and nose make Magic Leap comfortable for all head shapes and sizes.

Magic Leap devices are fully customizable, distribute weight evenly around the head, and are designed for thermal comfort. You can even insert prescription lenses into your device to make it even more customized.

Designed for human physiology

Magic Leap has a unique heritage of designing for the human body thanks to the founding team’s groundbreaking work in the biomedical industry. This experience has uniquely inspired Magic Leap to create a device that operates harmoniously with human physiology.

Magic Leap works in tandem with our natural visual system in a safe and effective way to create incredibly real experiences. Magic Leap’s operating range begins at 37 centimeters, well within an arm’s length, and is among the largest operating ranges in the industry. Accordingly, Magic Leap has designed its AR wearable devices to deliver experiences that are low friction and do not typically induce nausea.

How augmented reality can be used

By bridging the divide between the digital and physical worlds, and combining them in a unique first-person point of view, AR has the potential to revolutionize many different professional fields, not just personal entertainment.

AR allows doctors to plan for complex surgical cases

Augmented reality is already being used in cutting-edge medical scenarios. In October 2020, surgeons at UC Davis Children’s Hospital in Sacramento, CA, used Magic Leap technology to prepare for the separation of twin babies who were joined at the head. This rare and intricate surgery was planned by building a 3D reconstruction of the conjoined twins from MRI and CT scans, which were then viewed on the Magic Leap platform using Brainlab’s Mixed Reality Viewer software. The surgical team was then able to walk around the models to view all possible angles before a single incision was made.

SentiAR’s software, for example, connects operating physicians to 3D patient cardiac data in real time helping guide them during the procedure. It also helps patients visualize and understand the procedures they are about to undergo. SyncThink, Inc. is another company working with Magic Leap on clinical trials to explore AR for vestibular disorders like concussions. Heru, Inc., on the other hand, is using AR to innovate diagnostic solutions in optometry. The company’s platform on the Magic Leap 2 headset is designed to replace several legacy diagnostic devices and includes planned applications related to personalized vision correction that would allow clinicians to diagnose and manage patients with increased efficiency.

There are everyday practical applications as well, allowing doctors to view patient notes remotely, or collaborate with colleagues on patient cases in different cities or even countries.

Manufacturing problems can be tackled remotely

Linear motion company PBC Linear is one of the many organizations using AR to capture and leverage machine instructions from seasoned employees and train new machine operators, resulting in an 80% reduction in training time and 20% in annual savings due to less scrap and fewer mistakes — ensuring quality parts get to customers on time. Thanks to an AR package called Manifest, created by Taqtile and running on the Magic Leap platform, PBC Linear frontline workers have instant access to step-by-step guidance from their most experienced technicians and trainers, anytime and anywhere. AR is helping train and upskill the PBC Linear workforce, regardless of geographic location.

Shared digital spaces can shake up enterprise and marketing

Created to work in both physical and virtual shared spaces, the potential uses for augmented reality are limited only by ambition and imagination. Magic Leap is used by enterprise platforms such as Cavrnus, which collaborated with events agency Fix8Group to produce a hybrid model for experiential brand marketing in which in-person attendees, and those joining via AR, were able to communicate, collaborate, and even influence the lighting and music.

Magic Leap is also used by Talespin, an immersive learning platform that uses AR to deliver corporate skills training, and by “data storytelling” company Flow Immersive, which transforms complex information into easily understood AR visualizations that are shareable on social media.

The future of augmented reality?

A March 2021 study by Statista estimated there will be 2.4 billion mobile AR users worldwide by 2023. Ownership of dedicated AR devices such as Magic Leap is expected to reach 30 million units by 2023, an increase of over 380% from 2020. Increased use of AR platforms is one thing, but as the saying goes, you should follow the money for the full story. Spending on “extended reality” technology for just the U.S. construction and manufacturing sectors is projected to hit $35 billion in the next two years.

Unlike virtual reality, AR’s hybrid nature means that it is far more adaptable to real-world applications and that is only going to become more apparent as platforms evolve and developers discover new ways to overlap the virtual and real worlds.

Unplanned equipment downtime continues to cost manufacturing companies $50 billion each year, with aging equipment being the leading cause of extended downtimes. Manufacturers are increasingly looking to move to planned predictive maintenance to reduce downtimes and increase the longevity of equipment.

To improve equipment uptime and increase their operational life, manufacturers have transitioned from reactive maintenance that is largely inefficient to preventive maintenance, which is based on proactively servicing equipment to increase machine longevity. In Industry 4.0, preventive or planned maintenance continues to be the dominant approach favored by nearly 80% of maintenance personnel.

Having said that, this preventive maintenance strategy is not optimized to manage the complexities of Industry 4.0. For the most part preventive maintenance works around ‘fixed’ schedules or as a response to failure events.  In this article we will explore why manufacturing companies need to go beyond scheduled preventive maintenance and how a Connected Worker Platform can help them take the next step into data driven planned predictive maintenance.

What is Predictive Maintenance?

In today’s manufacturing, companies are focusing on improving their Overall Equipment Effectiveness or OEE score to increase machine uptime and productivity. For an optimized OEE score, manufacturers need to focus their maintenance-related activities around factual real-time data about manufacturing assets instead of measuring them against hypothetical end-of-life parameters.

Predictive maintenance is  about scheduling maintenance-related activities around accurate data-based predictions about the asset’s life. Planned predictive maintenance is facilitated by large volumes of asset data collected from equipment sensors, smart machines, augmented service tasks and robots. According to McKinsey, predictive maintenance reduces machine downtime by 30-50% and improves machine life by 20-40%.

Predictive Maintenance benefits Manufacturing companies by enabling:

• Real-time visibility into the current machine conditions, thus accurately predicting and preventing possible downtime.
• Effective cost savings by minimizing any planned machine downtime and maximizing equipment lifetime.
• Improved planning of maintenance activities by integrating the asset condition with the production schedules and demand forecasts.
• Improved productivity for the maintenance team personnel and enabling asset managers to improve OEE scores.

Next, let us see how a Connected Worker platform can help in elevating predictive maintenance in the manufacturing domain.

How Connected Workforce Platforms Improve Predictive Maintenance?

Through data-driven predictive maintenance, valuable insights about asset conditions can now be extracted that can facilitate the remote maintenance process. With the use of Augmented Reality (AR) technology in the Front Line Worker platform, remote technicians are better positioned to conduct asset repairs including complex machine parts. AR technology eliminates travel-related costs for support engineers by providing remote assistance and gets expertise where you need it.

Further, real-time data visibility can be used to streamline preventive maintenance operations in manufacturing facilities and allow the allocation of necessary resources to assets that need immediate attention. Front Line Worker platforms and technologies also elevate the quality of  inspections performed by technicians. Step-by-step visual work instructions available on Front Line platforms also enhance machine inspections and audits in any manufacturing facility.

Conclusion

According to ABI Research, predictive maintenance is expected to have an installed base of over 9.8 million devices in the next five years.

Low code/no code Connected Worker platforms boost predictive maintenance operations by providing real-time machine information in a convenient digital format that allows companies to iterate and improve their processes to achieve peak efficiency. This reduces machine downtime and improves OEE in the age of Industry 4.0.

With its Connected Workforce platform, Atheer has been providing innovative AR-enabled solutions that overcome many industry pain points including machine maintenance work for some of the largest companies in the world. The Atheer platform is here to empower maintenance engineers with resources including AR-based remote assistance, work instructions, and digital workflows to make sure they can do their best work every time. It’s time to free your teams from wasting thousands of hours per year per asset in dual data entry, eliminate inefficient processes and streamline operations with end-to-end support.

Overall, the solution helped PBC Linear operate and scale more effectively in several areas.

Deliver New Efficiencies and Process Improvements
PBC Linear utilized Taqtile’s Manifest on Magic Leap 1 to reduce training time for workers from almost three weeks to just three days – an 80% reduction in time.

Boost Productivity and Minimize Downtime
Along with reduced training time, PBC Linear saved almost $100,000 (USD) by reducing scrap and minimizing costly errors.

Attract Better Talent and Reduce Employee Turnover
New employees were enthusiastic to use Magic Leap’s augmented reality device to train more effectively and to increase productivity.

Simplify Training Procedures
Magic Leap’s device made PBC Linear’s training more efficient and interactive.

Save on Costs Tied to Training, Down-time and Human Error
PBC Linear realized substantial employee cost savings, including savings of more than $7,000 (USD) per employee across new machinist onboarding.

In case you missed this in-depth discussion of our manufacturing case study with PBC Linear and Taqtile, the webinar is now available for you to view. Watch Magic Leap’s video and resources 

Visit Magic Leap’s AREA member profile

Operating all across the globe, Molenaar is known for its high-quality food processing equipment, serving the biggest clients in the food and beverage industry. As a renowned market leader in heavy machinery manufacturing, they strive to offer the best customer service after equipment delivery and installation. Molenaar touched upon the possibilities of enterprise augmented reality already before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Yet, the imposed travel restrictions made the organization adopt the technology with full force.

Lead service engineer Marius Menezies is based in the busy hub of Johannesburg, South Africa, and directs a team of local technicians. The heavy machines are assembled, tested and manufactured, before being shipped to their clients worldwide. Marius provides direct support when technical issues arise during and after the installation process on the client’s site. As these machines need to be configured carefully, it’s common practice for Molenaar’s technicians to visit their client’s site. In addition, in case of machine breakdowns or repairs, skilled technicians travel on-site to their clients to have this fixed as soon as possible; since not working or obsolete machines cost the company thousands of dollars by the minute.

Fixing food processing machinery issues from a distance

With multiple customers located all over the world, it’s impossible for HG Molenaar’s engineers and technicians to constantly be on the road, and on top of that, the Covid-19 pandemic’s travel restrictions forced HG Molenaar to structurally think in a different direction. By using smart glasses technology, remote assistance sessions would allow issues to be fixed from a distance, without the need to travel. Here, the local technicians wear the glasses, and thanks to the built-in cameras and microphone, Marius and his team can then give feedback from a distance in real-time, fixing issues in twice as little time compared to the traditional way. Besides this, they also use the glasses for training purposes, resulting in faster onboarding of new employees.

The ideal hands-free solution for fixing heavy food processing machinery

The ‘plug-and-play’ interface ensures the glasses are extremely easy to use. Together with our remote assistance software partner Wizzeye, technicians simply log in and start recording their remote assistance session. Connecting each other over wi-fi, the remote technician gives detailed instructions to the local crew. In fact, the central camera and powerful zoom lens ensure remote collaboration over video gets a new, more powerful dimension. The remote technician sees exactly what the local technician sees on-site and can even make annotations and send them over via the small display screen in the glasses. He can additionally zoom into the smallest details and use the laser pointer to pinpoint exactly which actions need to be taken. “What I really like about the glasses is that you can simply use your own private smartphone. It’s so easy to use. After logging in and connecting with the other party, you simply tuck your phone away in a dedicated pouch and hook this onto your belt. This way, you have both of your hands available to do your job. So convenient”, Marius states.

HG Molenaar’s expert technicians provide instant feedback from a distance via video collaboration

Better operational efficiency and fewer machine breakdowns

The ease of use of the glasses advances both Marius and his team as well as the local technicians. Both encounter more productivity in terms of better operational efficiency and fewer machine breakdowns. By using smart glasses, the remote expert can use the time he would normally spend on traveling on other duties. Especially in Marius’ case, this is a big advantage as he sometimes gets calls in the middle of the night from the night shift. In this case, the glasses offer the perfect solution to resolve an issue the fastest way possible.

Besides productivity gains, using smart glasses also allows the company to offer better training and new employee onboarding. With branches spread around all across the country, it oftentimes occurs that the Johannesburg location needs assistance from the main headquarters in Cape Town and vice versa. Here, one technician wears the glasses while the other provides instant feedback and like this, they train each other from a distance. Here again, the smart glasses offer a viable solution to connect technicians from a distance and to quickly share tribal knowledge.

Smart glasses: A long term cost-saving solution

For Molenaar, using smart glasses has been a win-win for both their own technicians and their clients. Not only do their own employees save a huge amount of time on traveling, but also travel expenses are pushed back to a minimum. “The price of a pair of smart glasses compared over the long term with plane tickets and other travel costs is remarkable”, Marius adds. “It’s a much better cost-savings alternative.”

The industry is bracing for major changes as 5G towers continue to pop up across the United States. Said to be up to ten times faster than 4G depending on the carrier, many people are looking forward to the improvements and efficiency 5G will bring to different aspects of connectivity.

Obviously, faster internet speeds will make the millions of people working from home since the pandemic happier and more efficient. Faster connectivity also means great things for the gaming industry, including faster download speeds for streaming and mobile gaming. Other industries will feel this transformation as well, including consumer electronics and smart home security, allowing security cameras to transfer data faster. However, the biggest benefit will be the introduction and acceleration of technological innovations reliant on faster connectivity in order to really take off.

For example, cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are all emerging innovations that will excel as 5G continues to roll out. Although these tools will become commonplace in the many industries telecoms facilitate, AR will become a common tool to reduce costs and time spent on projects in the field for telecom organizations specifically.

As telecom companies continue to focus on the expansion of their current offerings and services, their technology is becoming increasingly more advanced, requiring highly experienced technicians. Running a talent deficit, the industry is turning to smarter solutions like AR. Wearable smart glasses can allow field workers to collaborate with the appropriate consultants at the organization’s headquarters, using AR to overlay information, training docs and video in the worker’s field of view. Applications that AR can be used for include employee training, field service management, remote support and collaboration, record keeping and inventory.

For example, to ensure uninterrupted telecom service to end users, companies conduct regular equipment inspections. These inspections are time-consuming and expensive, which is why AR is being adopted to help alleviate these pain points, ultimately cutting travel costs and allowing advanced assistance when necessary. Additionally, remote collaboration tools enabled by AR wearables help support telecom organizations’ MRO for complex data centers. Remote expert assistance provides frontline technicians with the ability to diagnose critical equipment issues more efficiently while streamlining repairs. Limiting downtime of equipment such as servers, cooling systems, and various cable arrangements provide cost savings for telecom workforces and their end users.

Currently, the adoption of AR across many industries is being slowed by the lack of high-speed connectivity. 5G will resolve any hiccups holding this technology back, getting rid of lag and stalls and increasing latency. More widespread broadband will result in a larger coverage area as well, enabling less experienced workers to get in the  field faster while communicating with an experienced remote technician. Not to mention, wireless wearables will improve mobility as well, giving workers in more active industries like construction and healthcare the full range of motion they need to complete their tasks.  5G will also allow the transmission of 3D models such as high polygon count CAD and BIM model overlay with more stability as higher amounts of data can be transmitted quicker- this is massive for construction use cases.

5G will also establish larger connectivity networks, unifying platforms such as mobile devices, smart homes and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Eventually, this connectivity will also lead to a much broader web of digital connections known as the metaverse.

2022 Predictions

There is no question that the rollout of 5G will cause a global digital transformation like never before. As mentioned, we will start to see technology like AR begin to accelerate with the support of fast broadband connectivity. This will create a ripple effect across multiple industries, promoting the adoption of technology with telecoms at the center

Wireless and mobile tech, such as wearables, will also begin to take off as 5G expands coverage areas — enabling telecom workers and professionals across other industries to enjoy more freedom and widespread mobility.

As a direct result of these emerging technologies, we will also begin to see more money pour into the industry with venture capitalists turning their attention to telecom innovations. With new technology and companies popping up in such a fruitful industry, we will also begin to see partnerships form, consolidating the industry.

Overall, 5G will be the catalyst for the acceleration of advanced technologies across more industries than just telecoms, broadening what’s possible in this digital age with faster connectivity.

Find out more about ThirdEye on their AREA member profile. 

In a new competitive assessment of enterprise augmented reality platforms, ABI Research identifies which current AR vendors can deliver the most business value – now and in the future – using the following criteria:

• Customers, partnerships, and footprint
• Use case applicability
• Internet of Things synergy
• Machine vision capabilities
• Transformative technology capabilities
• Data visualization capabilities

From the PTC website you can download the full report and discover why PTC Vuforia “remains at the top” of ABI’s ranking with the “most innovation” among AR platforms.

Skilled labor gap

With a generation filled with skills entering retirement, the manufacturing industry is witnessing a looming labor shortage. As a result, manufacturers are struggling to find motivated, knowledgeable employees for the job.

Machine intelligence

The manufacturing industry is increasingly using the Internet of Things. A majority of firms either have already implemented the technology or are on the verge of implementing the Internet of Things machines. These smart machines assist companies in collecting useful information that can aid them in improving productivity and implementing predictive maintenance.

Maximizing automation

COVID-19 has shown us all that this is a critical time to explore the implementation of automation technologies (and all things Industry 4.0, including collaborative robotics, autonomous material movement, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence).

System age and usability

Today’s workers need an updated system. Internal users require updated systems that can assist them in better job performance. Updated systems offer flexibility, greater insight, and speed – permitting workers to perform their tasks more efficiently and effectively.

Growing with increasing demand

• Increasing capacity – having so much demand that you need to increase capacity can force choices, like moving to a new facility or expanding your existing facility.
• Demand-driven manufacturing – many manufacturers are just keeping up with work based on orders from existing customers, leaving little time or money to invest in other critical initiatives.

Trade war effects

Current trade wars affect all industry sectors. Manufacturing is not an exception since finished products and raw materials are sourced and sold across the globe. In the coming year, the industry is considering tactical changes to ease the impact of trade wars that are always heating up.

Supply chain visibility

There must be real-time, granular visibility within the entire supply chain. Manufacturers must be aware of every detail. They must know when products delay reaching the market. Being updated on such situations will give them an upper hand to adjust or rectify the problem.

Reshoring

Businesses are rethinking their global manufacturing strategies. Companies are motivated to participate in reshoring efforts due to rising foreign wages, rising tariffs, and reconsiderations of the total cost of ownership.

Responding to Covid-19

The effects of COVID-19 have impacted manufacturing, top to bottom. It’s hard, even with a business plan, to adequately address the unpredictable and rapid variables of the outbreak: quarantining, restricting travel options, closing schools, disrupting supply chains, etc.

Applications now being accepted

Please see the Qualcomm website to enter your application

Manufacturers refer to Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) as the gold standard of productivity for a reason. It’s putting it mildly to say your equipment’s availability to perform at the highest level and output high-quality products are essential to your company’s success. Tracking your equipment’s efficiency is the first step to improving it. Most manufacturers operate at between 60 and 65% OEE.  World-class OEE is 85% or better.

What is OEE?

As was mentioned above OEE refers to Overall Equipment Effectiveness. This productivity score was invented by Seiichi Nakajima, the pioneer of the Total Productive Maintenance system.

Nakajima’s lifelong goal was to try to establish a near-perfect production method. He emphasized the necessity of proactive and preventive maintenance to maximize the productivity and longevity of equipment. The OEE score is derived from three factors: Availability, Performance, and Quality.

“Simply put –OEE identifies the percentage of manufacturing time that is truly productive. An OEE score of 100% means you are manufacturing only Good Parts, as fast as possible, with no Stop Time. In the language of OEE that means 100% Quality (only Good Parts), 100% Performance (as fast as possible), and 100% Availability (no Stop Time).” – OEE.com

OEE helps companies identify losses, benchmark success, find sources of waste in their processes and eliminate them.  This has become even more important in an extremely competitive landscape. Even a 1% lift in OEE can offer companies huge benefits.

It should be noted that the concept of Overall Equipment Effectiveness was created during a different era of manufacturing. Nakajima’s world view considered unreliable machines as the biggest sources of failure on the line, because in the 1980s machines were much more likely to fail or be unreliable. In the last few decades machines have become 20 times more reliable.

The source of errors in factories is now more likely to come from the systems that govern the human element of the equation. As production lines put out more products, work with machines that are more complex, it becomes impossible to hold everything you have to know in your head or even in a three-ring binder.

Nakajima imagined humans as perfect cogs to keep the factory’s machines up and running. He didn’t think that the human element could be optimized and this is because he came up with his calculation prior to the invention of digital Front Line Worker tools.

3 Factors for Determining OEE: Availability, Performance and Quality

OEE Availability

Availability score takes into consideration planned and unplanned stops in production. A 100% availability score means the machines were running during all of the planned production time. What hampers Availability score is the length of planned stops and the frequency and longevity of unplanned downtime.

Machine monitoring and the accompanying service tasks performed by your workforce are what protect against these disruptions. Paper-based monitoring, unfortunately, siloes valuable data and makes it difficult for management to have the necessary visibility to order preventive maintenance and reduce unplanned downtime.

OEE Performance

Performance score takes into account slow cycles and small stops in production. A performance score of 100% means the process is running at the fastest possible speed.  What hampers performance are inefficient idling and minor stops and reduced speed of production.

In most manufacturing shop floors, machine idle time can be as much as 40% – reducing the ROI by 30%.  Paper-based reporting for machine monitoring and related service tasks means much of these losses go unaccounted for because the time in between tasks simply aren’t being tracked. This denies management real-time visibility on what’s happening on the manufacturing floor.

OEE Quality

The quality score takes into account defects and parts that need to be reworked. A quality score of 100% means that only good parts were produced. This is in general the hardest aspect of OEE to improve as most manufacturing companies have by necessity created production lines that create little defective parts.  After all, people aren’t going to buy products that don’t work!

Why Is It Important to Improve OEE? 

You might be thinking OEE sounds cool and maybe a little nerdy. But what does my company get from tracking it?

Return on investment

Manufacturing companies spend massive amounts of money on getting state-of-the-art equipment and need to maximize the return on their investment. By improving OEE a company can increase productivity and get more longevity out of its equipment.

Staying ahead of the competition 

If your equipment breaks down and you can’t meet your customer’s needs, they’ll go to your competitors. With supply chains increasingly strained it’s never been more important to get the most out of what you already have.

Iterate and improve

Once you’ve begun to accurately measure your company’s OEE you can begin to implement process iterations and assess whether the new processes are working through data analysis. Effectively measuring OEE allows companies to push forward innovation projects because they can directly show the financial benefit to upper management.

Discover your process efficiency 

As a rule of thumb, a company’s production efficiency is actually much lower than assumed. By properly tracking production, companies can begin to unearth big gains by finding small inefficiencies and eliminating waste.

Reduce machinery repair costs

By tracking OEE you can optimize your preventive maintenance practices.  It’s much less expensive to proactively repair equipment than it is to wait until systems fail.

Increase process quality

With greater process transparency it is easier to discover where defects can be found in your production line.

Read Atheer’s AREA member profile 

Visit Atheer’s website 

The companies have partnered to pursue a joint goal: the accelerated growth of wearable software EyeSucceed, an augmented reality (AR) application based on TeamViewer’s enterprise AR platform Frontline.

EyeSucceed has the ability to digitalize processes and address critical challenges in the food industry. The commercial agreement leverages TeamViewer’s technological capabilities and NSF’s industry expertise and global customer base.

NSF has successfully integrated EyeSucceed into the daily operations of customers in the food and beverage industry to empower workers with AR-based workflows. For example, a global fast food restaurant chain has equipped its employees in more than 100 restaurants with the solution to ensure a global quality standard in training and onboarding of new employees.

Furthermore, the software is enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) features for improving food safety — for example, to automatically detect if hygiene gloves are worn and changed during the food production process.

“TeamViewer’s AR specialists have been dedicated and collaborative partners of ours since 2015, when EyeSucceed was first created,” said John Rowley, vice president of the global food division at NSF International. “Together with TeamViewer, we will help food businesses around the world to reduce risk, improve compliance and strengthen their brands. This collaboration will define the standard for AR applications in the global food supply chain.”

Jan Junker, executive vice president solution delivery at TeamViewer, said, “The use of voice- and eye-controlled AR applications giving step-by-step instructions to workers on smart glasses is game-changing for the food industry. Companies can digitalize their workplaces while keeping their workers’ hands 100% free to perform their tasks faster and better and to stick to all hygiene regulations at the same time. Customers who optimize their processes with our Frontline solution confirm double-digit increases in efficiency and close-to-zero error rates. We are looking forward to teaming up with NSF International to bring these benefits to more customers in the food industry and beyond.”

Read AREA member NSF EyeSucceed’s member profile