Talking about immersive technologies also means focusing on the concrete benefits that Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality applications bring to Industry 4.0.
The use of digital transformation to make the factory smart has long been underway. However, it is with the COVID-19 pandemic that this trend has become more widespread. During the health emergency, in fact, companies had to face their limits and overcome them in order not to stop production. For many of them, the most effective strategy was to employ Extended Reality solutions enabling them to:
- Improve design, productivity and performance
- Simulate the execution of an operation
- Optimize maintenance processes
- Increase worker safety
- Improve UX
But what are the application areas of these technologies? What opportunities do they offer companies?
Business Scopes of Immersive Technology
The forecasts speak for themselves: there will be a significant growth in the Extended Reality market.
According to PwC’s “Seeing is believing” report, immersive reality technologies will see significant economic growth by 2030. A turnover that will reach $1.5 trillion globally. As regards global AR and VR spending, interestingly IDC Italy predicts that $161 billion will be reached in 2023, with an annual growth rate of 78.3 percent.
These figures indicate the concrete opportunities these technologies offer in different areas, such as:
- Gaming and entertainment
- Construction
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Healthcare
- Retail
- Logistics
- Insurance
- Military
- Training
- Tourism
In the post-pandemic era, companies are relying on these next-generation technologies to make a breakthrough in internal processes and maintenance, which becomes smart. Hi-tech solutions integrated with collaborative platforms, such as Eye4Task, and wearable devices, such as smart glasses.
Opportunities and Benefits of Extended Reality
Properly combining the use of Virtual and Augmented Reality improves
Team collaboration. Indeed, teamwork is guaranteed, regardless of where professionals are located. Performing an intervention or an inspection in the field may require the support of a remote expert. Different professionals working together remotely can complete the tasks
Productivity. Working at high altitudes, such as on construction site docks, on wind turbines, or in underground environments, requires the use of devices that help the field experts focus on their task. Smart glasses in AR enable them to work “hands-free,” safely, and receive in real time all the information they need. Therefore, smart glasses improve performance, the production chain, and the safety of professionals.
Efficiency. With VR training, workers get the right training to be able to solve breakdowns and other problems in the field. In addition, tasks are performed faster and safer. By wearing the smart glasses and using the right tools, such as Eye4Task, professionals can connect with the expert remotely, receiving real-time assistance and the necessary data, such as information regarding the equipment they need to repair.
Conclusions
The sectors in which companies operate are different, but the main purpose is the same: to grow. In an era when digitization spans multiple spheres, companies must be able to be competitive and prevent or curb any decline in production.
Competitiveness, however, goes hand in hand with the company’s ability to satisfy end users with its products and services. In this context, Virtual and Augmented Reality are extremely effective in making the shopping experience more immersive. In fact, when well used, these solutions provide customers with all the information they need to make the appropriate decisions in a quick and informed way.
Among the challenges that companies face every day there certainly is the need to optimize and accelerate production processes, reducing costs and intervention times, as well as improving team collaboration and increasing safety standards at construction sites and other workplaces.
Eye4Task is the innovative collaborative Augmented Reality platform integrated on smart glasses. Leveraging AR and enabling technologies, it improves remote collaboration, accelerates workflows and decision-making processes. It positively impacts productivity because it:
- streamlines and speeds up learning for field technicians
- eliminates travel costs for experts
- decreases the duration of interventions and error margins
For more information on the HeadApp software, contact us for a free consultation or visit our Partners page.