London, UK – 22 February 2022 – RealWear, the world’s leading provider of assisted reality solutions for frontline industrial workers, today announced that Mercedes-Benz Otomotiv, based in Turkey, has selected and deployed RealWear’s rugged wearable devices across all of its 56 authorised service centres.

Prior to its countrywide enterprise wearable deployment, the process included hundreds of in-person trips, emails, shared photos and videos and over-the-phone collaboration with subject matter experts. With more than 240,000 customer vehicles on the road and the company’s commitment to high-quality service, the RealWear deployment immediately resulted in wide-ranging positive impact from cost savings, carbon footprint reduction to efficiency and worker empowerment.

For Mercedes-Benz, speed is everything, including a timely response and resolution to its customers. Any issues that could not be resolved required technical support staff to schedule and physically visit the dealership, costing the firm around an expected $100k and 500 tons of carbon emissions per year.

Since initially deploying the technology, Mercedes-Benz Otomotiv anticipates a 25% jump in ROI for on-part training scenarios and up to an expected 80% performance increase in customer service centre technical problem resolution where expertise from HQ is required. Certain other processes, such as problematic warranty cases and insurance claims have also become far more efficient using RealWear’s devices.

“Technologies such as RealWear and Microsoft Teams further increase the service quality and speed of Mercedes-Benz, thus positively affecting our customer satisfaction.” said Celal Tuna, Technical Support Supervisor at Mercedes-Benz Otomotiv.

You can read the full press release including the story of Mercedes Benz’s search for an enterprise wearable for its technicians which began in May 2020 on the RealWear website.

See RealWear’s AREA member profile

AR Instructor is a comprehensive software solution comprised of the following key elements:

AR Instructor Authoring App: a Windows-based application used to create guided work instruction.

The Authoring application offers users tools to easily create a set of digital procedures, each with step-by-step instructions, and insert associated documentation, videos, images, annotations, and 3D models where additional clarification may be helpful.

AR Instructor App: an application for HoloLens 2

The AR Instructor app allows technicians to utilize AR content and overlay structured step-by-step instructions, with integrated documentation, media, and 3D models, on the physical site to perform repair, maintenance, installation, and other operational activities. AR users can conduct live video calls with a remote expert for additional guidance or performance audit.

Support for other AR devices (mobile, lightweight glasses) is planned for Q2 this year.

Arvizio Remote Expert: Web-based tools used by remote experts to assist field workers.

The Remote Expert capability enables live see-what-I-see video calls including augmented reality annotations, shared images and screenshots for visual interaction with the on-site worker to offer additional guidance and/or audit the performance of operational tasks.

AR Instructor provides on-the-job guidance using previously prepared step-by-step augmented reality instructions. Visual prompts and AR overlays guide the user as they execute a given set of tasks. Each step of a guided workflow can be illustrated with video, documents, images, and 3D models superimposed on objects in the user’s field of view.

AR Instructor also offers real-time collaboration allowing field workers and remote experts to share information and receive critical guidance when required. Connecting with remote experts allows the expert to view, collaborate, and instruct the on-site employee using captured photographs, video and annotations through direct audio and video interaction. Specific procedures requiring expert assistance for work validation, or additional oversight, can be seamlessly incorporated in the workflow.

“AR Instructor is an efficient solution for organizations to utilize augmented reality in their operational and field maintenance activities. Using HoloLens 2, clear instructions, 3D content, media and remote expert support are in the worker’s field of view, enabling hands-free operation and significantly increased productivity”, said Jonathan Reeves, CEO of Arvizio. “In addition, senior employees are often not located where operations are performed. With AR Instructor’s remote expert capabilities, these experts can see exactly what engineers and field technicians see and collaborate with them reducing the time to resolution without costly travel.”

AR Instructor offers significant benefits to a variety of industries including manufacturing, datacenter, telecoms, aerospace, and energy. Integrated AR content as well as flexible user management enable organizations to vastly increase productivity, reduce operational costs, optimize their resources, improve competency and safety, and reduce training costs.

The AR Instructor app for HoloLens 2 is available in the Microsoft Store as part of the comprehensive AR Instructor solution. To watch a brief video overview of AR Instructor, please visit: Arvizio AR Instructor: Step-By-Step Instruction in AR

In addition to AR Instructor, the company’s Immerse 3D solution offers 3D model visualization and multi-user meetings and reviews with 3D BIM/CAD models, photogrammetry models and LiDAR point clouds across locations.

The EY Reimagining industry futures study revealed that 80% of respondents say the impact of the global health crisis is driving their interest in 5G, up from 62% in last year’s study.

EY’s study showed that 79% of respondents say supply chain disruption has galvanized their 5G pursuit, while 68% cite the focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. However, 40% are concerned that 5G and internet of things (IoT) vendors’ current use cases do not meet their business resilience and continuity needs, and 51% do not think their sustainability goals are addressed by today’s use cases.

Advanced 5G use cases featuring virtual or augmented reality are cited by just 22% of U.K. respondents as a key application, compared to 49% who favor process optimization.

Praveen Shankar, EY UK and Ireland technology, nedia and telecoms leader, said: “While the hype around how 5G low latency could power the metaverse or commercialize augmented reality continues to build, the study shows that the technology has moved out of its infancy, with enterprises’ interest now fuelled by real-world challenges. This should be applauded, with 5G following the same innovation cycle of other transformative technologies. Sophisticated use cases will become important in time. More pressing, however, is the need for 5G providers to adapt their solutions to the practical demands of industry 4.0 today.”

5G leads all other emerging technologies tracked in the study in terms of future spending intentions, with more than half (56%) of U.K. businesses planning to invest in 5G within the next three years.

However, despite this promising outlook in terms of future 5G adoption, enterprises are less confident than before that they can deploy 5G to the best of their ability. Only 18% are very confident that they can successfully implement 5G, down 4% compared to last year.

Adrian Baschnonga, EY global telecommunications lead analyst, said: “There are still fundamental anxieties around how 5G works alongside other emerging technologies. 5G providers should take this on board and adapt their customer discussions accordingly. By educating enterprises on how 5G can be harnessed by other emerging technologies, service providers can boost enterprise confidence in their 5G deployments.”

The study further finds that 71% of U.K. enterprises are interested in using private networks to support implementation of 5G and IoT use cases, while 66% are interested in buying 5G through an intermediary.

EY’s study also revealed that telecoms operators face a significant gap in terms of credibility. Only 13% of enterprises view them as digital transformation experts, down from 19% the previous year. Conversely, 33% trust network equipment vendors as favored digital transformation experts, up from 13% last year.

“Disruptive customer signals suggest that telcos’ traditional relationships with enterprise customers are under pressure and more agile go-to-market strategies are essential in a 5G-IoT world. Telcos should take steps now to ensure that they can meet enterprise demand for private network deployments,” Shankar added.

Motorola, Verizon Design 5G Wearable for XR Devices

Mobile phone pioneer Motorola recently announced it had teamed up with parent company Lenovo and US telecoms giant Verizon to reveal its latest 5G wearable device for XR technologies.

The neckband will provide ultra-low latency 5G connections for users of XR devices, using Verizon’s Ultra-Wideband 5G networks and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform.

Cambridge, GigXR Launch XR HoloPatient Trainer

XR healthcare solutions provider GigXR has begun working with Cambridge University Health Partners and Britain’s National Healthcare Service to develop its HoloPatient trainer app.

The solution, aimed at training Cambridge University students and healthcare professionals, was developed to train the next generation of healthcare professionals and boost their learner retention rates and engagement, representatives from both teams told XR Today in an interview.

VR, Metaverse Insurance Claims Jump 31 Percent

News reports revealed that XR device users had filed a record 31 percent higher number of accident claims in 2021, compared to the previous year, Aviva told the Guardian in an interview.

The UK’s largest insurer told the publication that accidents such as breaking furniture, televisions, and punching ceilings were some of the most common claims, resulting in claims on average of £650.

Arvizio To Secure AR, Future of Industry 4.0, CEO Says

Ontario, Canada-based AR solutions firm Arvizio (AREA member) spoke to XR Today last week to discuss its latest updates on its augmented and mixed reality (AR/VR) products designed for Industry 4.0.

In an interview, Jonathan Reeves, CEO of Arvizio, explained how digital transformation across global markets, expedited by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, sparked accelerated deployments of products such as Arvizio Immerse 3D and Arvizio Instructor.

Accenture Invests in XR Training Firm Talespin

Talespin, a spatial computing firm based in Los Angeles, California, completed Series C fundraising totalling $20 million USD from key investors such as Accenture Ventures, Pearson Ventures, and others.

The news comes as Accenture invests heavily in the future of XR with a portfolio of projects such as women’s empowerment in India, virtual onboarding, and best practices with the XR Association.

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.

Teledyne FLIR announced it won a $15.7 million contract in December to develop augmented reality software that can pinpoint chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear, or CBRN, threats and map them for the military. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Joint Science and Technology Office.

For reconnaissance and decontamination missions, a remotely operated vehicle would first move through an area where hazardous materials may be present and collect data using sensors, said Jeremy Walker, the director of science and technology for the company’s Pittsburgh location.

That data is then digitally registered and used to create an AR display of the area that highlights dangers, he added.

“As they’re moving through that space, they’re seeing these heat maps of where things were detected and what they are,” Walker said. “Once that data is captured by that tip of the spear reconnaissance mission, then many other subsequent users … can use that data to do their mission better.”

The mapping and AR technology will be integrated into the military’s Tactical Assault Kit suite of tools, which could be a mobile phone or tablet. Mixed reality headsets, like the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, are also an option, Walker said.

“All those people farther back don’t necessarily have to have sensors in their hand to know where the threat is to be able to do their work,” he said. “You’ve got this tool that helps people intuitively interact with it so they can keep their hands free to do other things.”

As it develop the technology, Teledyne FLIR’s Pittsburgh lab will be looking to work with existing and new partners in augmented reality and 3D-mapping spheres to help build the software, he said.

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.