The ability of AR to blend the experience of the real world with all the power of digital information is impressive. Although AR had become popular only a few years ago, healthcare organizations have been incorporating it for several years. Combining the use of augmented reality for patient care in the healthcare industry has undoubtedly proven to be a blessing for doctors and patients. Medical history of a patient can travel with him from birth to death and can be easily accessed by doctors with the help of AR technology.

By providing real-time data and patient information faster, AR gives surgeons and doctors the ability to diagnose, treat, and perform surgery on their patients more precisely than ever before. The use of augmented reality in the healthcare market is expected to increase rapidly. An estimate shows that the revenue of augmented reality in the healthcare market can grow up to USD 1.32 billion by the year 2023 at a CAGR of 23%. That’s because there are many examples where the healthcare industry is using AR for the benefit of the patient.

The article talks through details of the 7 patient care applications of AR in healthcare

1. Advanced diagnostics
2. Surgery assistance
3. Patient assistance
4. Vein vizualisation
5. Ultrasound scanning
6. Patient aftercare
7. Patient selfcare

“The notion of accelerated productivity will force enterprises to rethink their technology decisions and investments across the enterprise technology stack, which, in turn, will drive a sea change in how enterprises are led and structured, make informed decisions and engage employees and customers,” said Dan Hushon, senior vice president and chief technology officer, DXC.

“Tech-evangelist leaders will define new interactions between AI and people to create high-performing teams and shape digital strategies that unlock an organisation’s full potential – securely and confidently modernising applications, optimising data architectures and moving workloads to the cloud to produce new and better business outcomes.”

Hushon identified five technology-driven trends for the future of work in 2020 and beyond.

1. AI redefines professional services
2. Design thinking shifts from IT services for people to IT services for machines
3. Data’s value increases in ecosystems
4. Teams, not superstars, are the high performers
5. New wave of tech-savvy leaders accelerates business transformation

Read each of these in detail in the full article, 5 Transformational technology trends

Researchers developed a waist belt embedded with a series of vibrating motors worn by participants. The motors received signals from a hazard alert system that runs on a laptop or mobile devices and monitors equipment and vehicles at a site.

Key findings in tests of the Embedded Safety Communication System (ESCS) included:

• Participants found it more difficult to identify signals from motors on a waist belt if they were arranged vertically rather than horizontally;
• Participants had approximately 95% accuracy in identifying signals from individual motors when adjacent motors were spaced 2.5 inches apart; and
• Three signal parameters could be used to communicate information: signal intensity, signal duration, and signal delay.

CPWR, NIOSH Agreement

CPWR performed the research as part of a cooperative agreement with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH has directed or funded several tests of wearable technology for safety applications in construction and other industries.

The need for research in construction is acute, according to NIOSH, because while construction accounts for 6 percent of the U.S. workforce, it accounts for 20 percent of workplace fatalities each year. Because industrial monitoring systems are impractical at construction sites, wearable technology connected to mobile or Internet of Things (IoT) networks could offer a level of protection needed in the industry.

CPWR chose to test vibrational devices because hearing and vision can be limited in the construction environment. Struck-by and caught-in or caught-between are two of the “Focus Four” hazards that account for 60% of construction worker deaths each year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA now emphasizes inspections for the Focus Four hazards in its revised enforcement weighting system.

Wearable Technology Projects

Much of NIOSH’s past research has examined the potential for wearable devices to evaluate personal exposure to airborne contaminants. While air sampling has been miniaturized to handheld devices, the development of wearable devices is in its infancy. The institute is considering the potential for a “smart” safety helmet equipped with sensors that can detect carbon monoxide and methane.

Consumer wearables, usually connected to smartphones or mobile devices, are being used to improve health and well-being by aiding in personal fitness; and the technology continues to develop.

In addition to testing of the ESCS to warn workers of nearby equipment and vehicles, other applications of wearable technology under study include:

• Physiological status monitors to collect worker data in the outdoor environment and warn about the potential for heat stress;
• Environmental sensors to monitor air quality, including carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and gas leaks, as well as, noise; and
• Exoskeletons to reduce the physical stress of manual labor and prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Barriers to widespread adoption of wearable technology currently include cost, maintenance, and privacy concerns. While a Bluetooth-enabled sensor typically costs $35, a radio frequency identification (RFID) device can cost $1,000, according to NIOSH.

Some groups have concerns that wearable devices could be used for productivity monitoring, tracking an employee’s location, hours worked, breaks, or even number of steps taken during a workday.

CPWR is the research and training arm of North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), a federation of construction industry labor unions.

Background on guest speaker Yan Simard, CEO of Kognitiv Spark. He’s designed and led many innovative business ventures through his own startups. He also has extensive professional experience with companies such as CGI, Zaptap, Vision Coaching, AIS, Incite Wellness, Bell Canada, Industrial Alliance, and more.

Simard said “We believe that mixed and augmented reality, if used right, can not only allow frontline and field workers to stay relevant, but make them more crucial than ever before.”

A transcript of the 32 minute video can be read on Kognitiv Spark’s blog along with the XR for Business Podcast recording itself which you can listen to.

Now, it seems we are hitting a technology tipping point in that suppliers of product design, industrial control, cloud, and simulation applications, are uniting to bring their products together. It’s an effort aimed at accelerating their customers’ digital adoption by simplifying technology deployments and delivering measurable results.

As an example, Rockwell Automation recently introduced a Digital Partner Program that extends its reach outside of the automation domain and into new areas of expertise. Last year, Rockwell announced a partnership with PTC. The deal included a $1 billion equity investment from Rockwell and an alignment of products that resulted in the FactoryTalk InnovationSuite, an integration of Rockwell’s analytics and manufacturing operations management (MOM) platforms with PTC’s ThingWorx IoT platform, which includes industrial connectivity from Kepware and Vuforia augmented reality (AR).

This month at Rockwell Automation Fair, the company unveiled another strategic partnership with Ansys, a provider of simulation software, that builds upon the PTC play. That’s because, last year, PTC also announced a partnership with Ansys to provide real-time simulation within PTC’s Creo 3D CAD software as a way to unify modeling and simulation environments.

A digital twin is a virtual model of a physical product or process. In manufacturing, a digital twin can be a dynamic virtual representation of an entire plant, or it can be focused on a single asset, like a machine. By tying together a simulated 3D design with a control architecture, manufactures can avoid spending time and money developing a physical product prototype, and instead can design and test through a virtual model that can improve quality and speed time-to-market—be it for a single machine or the commission of an entire manufacturing line.

And, once a machine or production line is running, manufacturers can use that virtual twin to create and test “what-if” scenarios. By using runtime models generated from the Ansys Twin Builder, users can adapt to the market demands with more agility and minimal risk. This is crucial in the industrial space, where manufacturers need to change line configurations quickly to adjust to consumer buying trends. So, manufacturers can understand an outcome without disrupting physical assets.

“Ansys empowers customers across industries to develop innovative, next-generation products by using simulation throughout the product lifecycle,” said Ansys president and CEO Ajei Gopal. “By combining Rockwell Automation’s extensive expertise and portfolio of industrial solutions with Ansys’ leading-edge simulation solutions, we will make it easier for industrial companies to build, validate and deploy digital twins. Simulation-based digital twins optimize factory operations, saving money by reducing unplanned downtime and enable engineers to test solutions virtually before doing physical repairs.”

And, we can’t forget that PTC—their mutual partner—will factor into the equation, as well.

“The Ansys piece is a case where we’re all saying there’s an unbelievable opportunity for us to all work together,” said Don Busiek, senior vice president of strategic alliances at PTC. “Customers can pick up solutions, buffet style, where they have pain points. But they’re preconfigured solutions. The only way to drive the quick ROI that’s required these days—months instead of years—is to have preconfigured solutions.”

Of course, to prove out the technology, Rockwell plans to use digital twin tools internally to accelerate new product and process development in order to improve quality and reduce testing time across its own organization. “The Ansys technology, developed with customers in mind, is a giant leap forward in the industrial sector,” said Rockwell chairman and CEO Blake Moret.

The trial will be completed virtually, with no in-person clinical visits required in order to “accelerate the study and fast-track results”, utilising smart technology and wearable devices to more quickly and efficiently gather and analyse real-world evidence.

The study will be evaluating Invokana (canagliflozin) in adults with heart failure, with or without type II diabetes, compared to placebo on quality of life improvement scales, in participants with either preserved or reduced ejection fraction heart failure.

Traditional clinical trials are still “undeniably essential in medical research but are often long and costly” explained Paul Stoffels, vice chairman of the executive committee and chief scientific officer, Johnson & Johnson.

He continued, “Through the CHIEF-HF study, we are exploring how we can harness technology that consumers already have at their fingertips, including smartphones and wearable devices, to change this paradigm. Through this virtual trial approach, we hope to make clinical studies more inclusive, faster and more cost-effective, so that we can deliver innovative solutions to the people who need them.”

As a part of the new system, investigators will analyse participant-reported outcomes through app-based clinical questionnaires, and physical activity data as logged by an app on the smartphone and actigraphy data from a wearable activity device, including daily step count and stairs climbed.

Around 920,000 people in the UK today have been diagnosed with heart failure, but both the incidence and prevalence of heart failure increase steeply with age, with the average age of diagnosis being 77.

The company reported second quarter worldwide revenue of $7.706 billion, an increase of 3.0 percent as reported or 4.1 percent on an organic basis, which adjusts for a $97 million negative impact from foreign currency and a $16 million contribution from the company’s acquisition of Titan Spine, which is reported in the Spine division in the Restorative Therapies Group.

“We reported another quarter of solid results, reflecting our continued focus on executing to our commitments across Medtronic,” said Omar Ishrak, Medtronic chairman and chief executive officer. “Our broad-based performance this quarter demonstrates the consistency of our execution, the strength of our innovation, and the benefit of our business and geographic diversification.”

Headline figures were:

• Revenue of $7.7 Billion Increased 3.0% Reported and 4.1% Organic
• GAAP Diluted EPS of $1.01; Non-GAAP Diluted EPS of $1.31
• Cash Flow from Operations of $1.9 Billion Grew 61%
• Free Cash Flow of $1.6 Billion Grew 66%
• Company Raises FY20 EPS Guidance

For the full press release on the reports.

Davis writes: “Augmented reality is emerging in the EAM world, particularly enhancing maintenance routines.

The ability to view volumes of data such as manufacturers’ manuals, preventative maintenance plans, etc while also viewing the actual asset under repair, is streamlining maintenance routines and ensuring the actions taken are effective.

While AR can help a technicians quickly identify the barcode, and with it inventory stock and location, of a repaired part, in the future the same part may be 3D printed and used instantly.

The author claims technology is going to continue to impact EAM positively:

• Newer solutions will enable more effective and efficient asset management
• Quicker issue resolutions
• Greater insight into areas where cost savings can be realised

Other technology aspects discussed in the source article include:

• Data insight drive predictive maintenance and facility efficiency
• Work order enablement in common workspaces

From PTC’s website: “High innovation and implementation scores propel PTC Vuforia to the top in a new ranking of AR platforms.”

In a 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 criteria such as:

• Customers, partnerships, and footprint
• Platform breadth
• Use case applicability
• Internet of Things synergy
• Machine vision capabilities
• Pricing and business models

You may download the full report from PTC’s website and discover why ABI Research ranks PTC Vuforia as the “leader among AR platforms” with “high customer value” and “more capability than most competitors on offer.”

Read PTC’s AREA member profile.

See PTC website.

Jarrow-based, solid wood furniture manufacturer, Funky Chunky Furniture, has been working collaboratively with the Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) project, to prepare the business for its next phase of growth.

SAM, based at The Industry Centre, Sunderland, is a £5.1m collaborative project between the University of Sunderland and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It supports product and process development and the introduction of technology in SME manufacturers in the NE LEP area.

One area of focus was streamlining the workshop processes, to ensure efficient and sustainable manufacturing. The teams used augmented reality technology, product knowledge and lean manufacturing principles to create a digital twin of the workshop.

The FlexSim software allowed Funky Chunky Furniture to digitally model changes to the workshop, de-risking the decision-making process, and modelling production flow.

After testing many different layouts on the software, Funky Chunky Furniture has turned the digital into reality, and redesigned the workshop layout, future-proofing its operations, maximising space and allowing for future expansion.

Kevin Johnston, managing director of Funky Chunky Furniture, said: “We are a rapidly growing manufacturer, but we need to ensure we support the growth and keep it sustainable.

“Working with the team at SAM has enabled us to focus on the details and test out new processes digitally before putting them into use. Ultimately, we have to get the systems right, as they have a big impact on our workshop team. We need to be efficient, so we can create space, both physically and time within the working day, to introduce new product lines and techniques.

“We’re entering our busiest period of the year, so it’s a great test for the new workshop layout.”

The next phase of the SAM project is now underway. Funky Chunky Furniture has received a grant of £30,000 from SAM to support the implementation of new processes and development of new products. It represents 40% of the investment needed to purchase new tooling, installations and employ new team members.

Kevin Johnston, said: “Now the workshop is optimised we can focus on extending our manufacturing processes. We’re keen to expand our product range, but to do that we need to invest in new processes and equipment, as well as more members of staff.”

Ken Teears, SAM Project Manager said “We are halfway through the project with Funky Chunky Furniture and already we can see the significant impact that the SAM project has had on the business.

“The workshop reconfiguration will ensure the business remains sustainable, lean and efficient, and the business has recruited several new members of staff. We are keen to see how we can positively impact the business as we move forward the second half of our work together.”

The project will continue for another year as Funky Chunky Furniture introduces its new manufacturing processes and product lines.