This represents a significant pedagogical methodology and prepares them with new methods of teaching.

Students will wear wearable gear to interact virtually and physically with the immersive technology.

The rationale behind this is that the faculties teaching in different colleges need to acquaint themselves with emerging technology, as they are the key persons entrusted with the task of national building and influencing the minds of the younger generations.

VR and AR technologies are beomcing increasingly important as a means of instruction in the teaching-learning process.

Read more in the original article in the Times of India

Augmedics said this is the first augmented reality guidance system to be used in surgery and that it has won FDA clearance for the device. Nissan Elimelech, founder and CEO of Augmedics said the company has also launched XVS.

“Our headset is comparable to the surgical navigation systems that all the [larger medtech] companies have such as the Medtronic StealthStation or the Stryker Brainlift System,” Elimelech told MD+DI. “[XVS] is a true surgical navigation or guidance that accurately tracks the surgical instruments, implants, and spine surgery. We do all this using a very small lightweight and very economic … headset.”

The xvision consists of a transparent near-eye-display headset and all elements of a traditional navigation system. It accurately determines the position of surgical tools, in real-time, and a virtual trajectory is then superimposed on the patient’s CT data.

The 3D navigation data is then projected onto the surgeon’s retina using the headset, allowing him or her to simultaneously look at the patient and see the navigation data without averting his or her eyes to a remote screen during the procedure. The system is designed to revolutionize how surgery is done by giving the surgeon better control and visualization, which may lead to easier, faster, and safer surgeries.

“[XVS] is the first product out of many that we intend to work on and launch in the next few years,” Elimelech said. “We started with a spine product because we think there is the most need for a system like that. Most of the spine surgeons are not using any sort of guided-computer navigation.”

He added, “later we will work on other applications for brain surgery; joint reconstruction – knee and hip replacement; and trauma surgery. Basically, everything that requires high precision in treating a patient.”

Ref Source article

Trimble are one of many companies working in the wearable technology sphere in the construction industry

The GlobalData report – Thematic Research: Wearable tech in Construction – states that the wearable technology industry was worth nearly US$23 billion in 2018 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 19% to reach US$54 billion by 2023.

Wearable technology is said to have great potential to improve safety in construction through innovations such as gyroscopes, emergency alerts, and tracking devices. GPS-enabled wearables and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology are leading improvements in efficiency on construction sites.

Growth in wearable technology will also be driven by the utilisation of many countries’ aging workforces in remote support roles for a younger generation of workers through AI and smart glasses technology. Wearable exoskeletons will also be used as an aid for workers’ physical support during strenuous tasks where there is a risk of injury.

Danny Richards, lead economist, GlobalData, commented, “Wearable tech, like the smart helmets developed by companies such as SmartCap Technologies, is helping to increase safety on construction sites. SmartCap measures workers’ fatigue levels and detects micro-sleeps, alerting them when they are in need of a break.”

Safety and efficiency are two primary trends in construction which are driving the adoption of wearable technology.

Richards added, “Despite wearables’ difficulty launching in the consumer market, its commercial applications have proven valuable. As the benefits of wearable tech becomes clearer to construction companies, uptake is likely to increase.”

Read: Original Article Wearable Tech Could Transform Construction.

Healthcare professionals are using immersive technologies for different purposes—from staff training to patient engagement. Virtual and augmented reality developers are also doing their part to contribute to patient care. Together with medical professionals, they have been exploring new ways to provide pediatric patients with fun and unforgettable experiences.

The blog then takes a closer look at immersive applications that make hospitals feel more comfortable and friendly for young patients.

Reducing Pain and Anxiety in Treatments

Virtual and augmented reality have come a long way. These immersive technologies have become powerful enough to provide comfort and relief throughout painful and unpleasant procedures. For example, VR and AR innovations have aided young patients who undergo gastroenterology procedures, chemotherapy, and blood draws.

AppliedVR produces digital solutions for virtual reality therapeutics (VRx). They aim to improve the clinical outcomes of patients with serious medical conditions using immersive solutions. Around 200,000+ hospitals have implemented their VR solutions, including Boston Children’s Hospital and Cedars-Sinai.

Both children’s hospitals use VR headsets to help their young patients cope with the pain, anxiety, and stress of their treatments. For instance, they let kids play Bear Blast before procedures to calm their nerves.

AppliedVR offers a wide array of games, movies, animations, and guided meditations, making the program suitable not only for kids but for patients of all ages.

Adjusting to the Hospital Environment

The hospital is the last place you want to be if you’re a child. Rooms are cramped, stressful, and no fun at all. Augmented and virtual reality are making the experience less overwhelming for the young ones.

Take Chilzone for example. Early-Adopter developed this unique platform to improve pediatric care. It makes the dreary walls of a hospital room come to life. Chilzone utilizes a wide array of digital technologies, from immersive technologies to 3D printing. It allows patients to tap into their creativity and natural curiosity. Moreover, it makes them feel comfortable and in control of their situation.

One of their first creations was a program called Secret Garden. It places young patients in virtual environments, allowing them to see the people and places they love.

Early-Adopter believes that immersive technology has the capacity to relieve anxiety and aid in rehabilitation. Furthermore, they believe it has the potential to decrease dependence on pain medication.

The company raised $65,000 in an event last November, which enables them to expand their program.  They will provide Montefiore’s Bronx facility with 40 VR headsets before the year ends, making them the largest VR and AR program in New York.

Creating Engaging Therapy Sessions

Children in the autism spectrum require special attention. They are easily overwhelmed by visual distractions and noises during therapy sessions. As a result, care providers often struggle to teach kids with special needs important social and communication skills.

Floreo, a virtual reality platform, addresses this challenge. It helps kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder learn a wide range of social skills through fun and engaging activities. Adults with ASD may also benefit from this application. Instead of delivering therapy in the usual constrained environment, Floreo places kids with special needs in virtual environments. Parents and therapists can supervise the immersive experience, guiding young learners as they progress.

Using Floreo, patients can play games and engage in activities where they can explore social connections. They can learn calming techniques as well.

Floreo only implements science-backed lessons into their platform. Schools, therapy practices, and numerous households across the country are already using Floreo.

Meanwhile, kids equipped with Google Glass can explore Brain Power’s suite of AR-based apps to practice social-emotional skills that will strengthen their self-reliance.

Read full article here.

The mobile app (developed by Stockholm-based Objective Solutions) brings new efficiency and cost savings to workflows using mobile scanning of boarding passes, passports, meal vouchers and baggage tags. SAS has deployed the Scandit-powered app to their three Scandinavian airport hubs: Stockholm Arlanda, Oslo Gardermoen, and Copenhagen Kastrup. A detailed case study about the integration is now available.

SAS carries more than 30 million passengers annually to 120 destinations on over 170 aircraft and is widely recognized as a pioneer in digital innovation for the air travel industry. The Ground Handling App is part of a global, digital infrastructure initiative to streamline and improve key operations and improve the travelling experience for their growing volume of passengers. In the first deployment, SAS employees were equipped with 700 Galaxy A8 devices, with further rollouts planned across SAS’ global operations.

The Scandit software was easily integrated into the SAS IT ecosystem. Customer-facing SAS employees use the mobile app from anywhere in the airport, for example at the boarding gate where agents are no longer tied to gate podiums. Passengers are benefiting from a faster, more personalized service and SAS has reduced costs compared to the dedicated scanners and infrastructure. Booking changes can also be done seamlessly with the mobile app and baggage handlers use it to record and track baggage.

“We chose Scandit for its quality and flexibility,” said Fredrik Buxfeldt, Head of Digital Operations IT at SAS. “In addition to barcode scanning and OCR (optical character recognition) in mobile apps, Scandit also enables barcode scanning in websites, so our employees can also use mobile scanning from a browser if they don’t have the mobile app loaded.”

“SAS has reaped the benefits of modernizing data capture workflows with enterprise-grade mobile scanning,” said Samuel Mueller, CEO of Scandit. “We are delighted to play a part in this mobile evolution to help SAS meet its goals for outstanding customer service and operational efficiency.”

Resources

• View the SAS case study: https://www.scandit.com/resources/case-studies/sas/
• Learn more about Scandit’s air travel solutions: https://www.scandit.com/industries/air-travel/
• Download Scandit’s report (Fly High, One Mobile Scan at a Time) to learn how to innovate air travel with mobile computer vision and augmented reality: https://www.scandit.com/resources/whitepapers/fly-high-air-travel/
• Watch this video to see Scandit’s air travel solutions in action: https://www.scandit.com/resources/videos/air-travel-innovation-with-mobile-computer-vision/
• View Scandit’s press kit: https://www.scandit.com/press/

A short extract from the detailed interview is given below:

As part of his role in risk management, Bellows has consulted with large multinational customers to help them find solutions to their risk management issues. Often, they were most interested in workers’ comp risk because it tends to drive loss frequency and severity, impacts the workforce and absenteeism, and reduces efficiency and profitability.

Workers tend to be 30-50% of a company’s operating expense, so if you can reduce injuries you can increase efficiency, profitability, etc. Today with the shortage of workers that we see, a lot of companies are working at a 20% absenteeism rate.

Imagine what happens when you can’t find enough people to man the tasks in a factory. If you also have extensive injuries that put people out of work or on restrictive duty, it’s even more difficult to run the business. Making sure people can work safely and come back to the job every day is very important to risk managers. I also help risk managers with issues like fleet, liability, supply chain, business continuity, and disaster recovery—anything that keeps them up at night.

Full interview here.

With over 9,000 employees worldwide, they’re always striving to offer better, more efficient customer service through advanced technological solutions.

Watch the video to see how XMReality helps Coesia reduce downtime, waste, and costs while deploying industry-leading expertise where and when it’s needed most.

See original post from XMReality.

With so many possible AR use cases, enterprises can easily get stuck on “How do I get started?” and run the risk of falling behind on deploying this transformative technology.

Download this simple guide to Enterprise AR by AREA member Scope AR to help you identify the right AR solution that fits the needs and priorities of your organization.

You know that augmented reality (AR) can provide value your organization, but how do you prove it?  For some enterprises, clear metrics and ROI stats around key performance indicators such as reduced equipment downtime or improved employee productivity are available.

Regardless of which success indicators make the most sense for your business, it’s necessary to understand the reason behind your AR deployment and what you’re trying to improve upon in order to illustrate the true value of this transformative technology.  Download this quick guide to learn the essentials to help you prove the value of your next AR project and secure the investment needed for future AR deployments.

One example is the way troops train for high-end fights against advanced adversaries by providing digitally created enemy forces or other environmental factors that they might encounter in a real battle, officials have noted.

“The commercial sector is where all the gamers are going to be using that stuff too,” said Michael Blades, vice president of aerospace, defense and security at market analysis firm Frost & Sullivan. “They’re going to be changing and updating and upgrading to keep pace with their competitors in that market, and that’s going to increase the capability for the users on the defense end. So defense is going to end up winning from that commercial competition because they’re going to get better capabilities for training.”

The article references Air Force’s Pilot Training Next program, which aims to make aviator training more efficient and push undergraduates through the pipeline faster.

The article refers to a number of specific headsets and technological advances and drawbacks such as field of view, latency and headset weight.  Market analyses are drawn from various sources.

Original full article here.