Taken from the post advertisement on LinkedIn:

Position remote or in Cambridge, MA.

Are you passionate about technology education? We are MIT Horizon, a new initiative within MIT Open Learning committed to supporting MIT’s mission to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. Our vision is to educate the global workforce on emerging technologies with MIT’s expert, impartial, update-to-date online library. For more information about MIT Horizon, please visit horizon.mit.edu.

MIT Horizon is seeking experts in Augmented and Virtual Reality to help support the development of educational articles and content for working professionals. The expert should have specific and deep knowledge in one or more area of software and hardware development in AR/VR, of AR/VR usage in education, engineering, manufacturing, entertainment, or travel.

Work with MIT Horizon senior editor and researchers to:

•       Provide subject matter expertise and answer questions via interviews, meetings, and emails.
•       Draft notes on various AR/VR topics.
•       Review and fact check copy on AR/VR articles for accuracy and completeness.
•       Help make connections to knowledgeable members of the AR/VR communities.

Requirements:

•       Proven expertise in the AR/VR industry.
•        2 – 20 hours a week for three months.
•       Does not have to be based in Boston, open to remote.

See LinkedIn page where you can apply online.

The quality of work and performances for companies across all industries, including field services, healthcare, manufacturing, aerospace, architecture, education, and insurance, is being improved with this all-in-one hardware and software solution including new key gesture capabilities.

The Android-based X2 MR Glasses fit a wide, 42-degree field of view, powerful sensors (thermal and ambient light), and a built-in proprietary simultaneous localization and mapping system, called VisionEye SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping), that allows for advanced MR features not available on a monocular device. The glasses have a long battery life due to a 1750mAH single battery and noise cancelling microphones. Two grey-scale cameras, a high resolutions RGB camera (13-megapixel HD), 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer, and 3-axis magnometer are also included. The ThirdEye Workspace, a powerful enterprise software platform built into the X2 MR Glasses, include advanced AR/MR capabilities, such as live AR remote help and 3D SLAM based CAD modeling and overlay.

“ThirdEye’s X2 MR Glasses are completely unique. The X2 MR Glasses are affordable, contain powerful technology and have a lightweight design,” said Nick Cherukuri, Founder of ThirdEye. “Mixed reality is changing the way employees work in the enterprise, allowing them to have the information they need right in front of their eyes. With our X2 MR Glasses, companies are saving nearly 40 percent in productivity improvements, and with our software partnerships, we believe the savings will only increase.”

On the heels of mass shipping, ThirdEye has also formed strategic partnerships with software companies to expand applications across the enterprise industry, including most recently with Atheer, pioneer of the world’s first Augmented Reality Management Platform (ARMP). The partnership with Atheer will transform how car repairs at dealerships will be handled going forward, marking the first time that U.S. car repairs are using AR at scale.

In addition, ThirdEye is partnering with ManoMotion, a computer vision-based software company that provides a gesture recognition framework for applications in augmented and mixed reality, to bring a brand new product feature update. The new update allows users of the X2 MR Glasses to control their glasses through hand gestures. Now, users can pinch to click, pinch and move to drag, and open and close their hand to go back to control and navigate the information that’s placed in front of them. The glasses also include hand-tracking for cursor motion and an integration with the ThirdEye UI controls menu bar.

Read full press release from ThirdEye.

Read ThirdEye Gen AREA member profile

The investment came from Business Venture Partners, Halo Business Angel Network and Enterprise Ireland.

It builds software for augmented reality glasses used by engineers and technicians, which display data visually for the user, according to co-founder Patrick Liddy.

“We build software to help engineers, technicians, technical workers of all sorts to see information and the procedures they should be following or the assets that they’re working on in their vision while they’re doing the task,” he said.

The startup, founded in 2018, can link glasses up with internet-connected equipment or IoT devices to display real-time functioning data or flag any maintenance issues.

Take for example a technician that needs to change the filter on an air handling unit, which takes multiple steps to complete.

“In the past that might have been text saying do step A, then step B. Now you’re able to watch short 10 second videos (through the glasses) which describe each step and help you more clearly understand what you need to do.”

The technician could also do a video call back to a remote colleague and show them exactly what they’re looking at via the glasses.

“They’ll be able to see on their computer what you’re doing in real-time and draw annotations to talk you through how to fix that problem.”

Read full original article here.

Topics covered in detail in the interview include many pertinent questions faced by enterprises:

• How the collaboration with Zebra Technologies came about
• The unique or key features of the HD4000 that make it enterprise-ready
• The new demands of e-commerce that the Zebra HD4000 is helping companies to meet
• How Six15’s tech integrates securely with existing enterprise architecture
• Beyond guidance and training, what are the insights and analytics enterprises are gaining from the product and how can it become a full end-to-end solution or is it not meant to be that?
• What typically drives up costs for enterprises trying to adopt AR?
• What do you think is the ideal duration time for a pilot or is a pilot unnecessary in this case with the HD4000?
• Future collaborations for Six15’s
• Customer feedback.

We hope our readers enjoy this interview! 

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Frontdoor bought Streem with a combination of cash and equity, including incentive-based equity. Streem’s CEO and co-founder, Ryan Fink, and the rest of the team, will remain in Portland.

Founded in 2017, Streem aims to give home service professionals a way to more quickly diagnose and quote a customer’s inquiry via new smartphone technology. Customers can use Streem’s app to stream HD video of their given issue to the professional, who can then use a digital toolbox to take measurements and other notes. Computer vision technology can automatically detect the brand and model number of a part or appliance. Professionals can guide the conversation with a laser pointer and use arrows anchored to a 3D map of the space. The photos, videos, notes, and data stay saved on the app.

The idea is to help professionals assess a problem during a “virtual visit” and gather the necessary tools, all before they physically enter a home.

Streem had raised more than $10 million from investors including Flying Fish Partners; Greycroft; Curious Capital; Oregon Venture Fund; Portland Seed Fund; TechNexus; Rogue Venture Partners; Betaworks Ventures; GGV Capital; General Catalyst; Loup Ventures; and others.

Earlier this year Streem acquired Selerio, a computer vision startup based in the U.K. that spun out of research from the University of Cambridge and a Google fellowship.

“Combining Streem’s AR-enhanced platform with Frontdoor’s marketplace, will accelerate the transformation of the service experience for consumers and businesses alike,” Fink said in a statement. “We’ve long said our platform is defined by three key pillars: remote video collaboration, simple augmented reality tools, and, most importantly, contextual data. This allows service experts to capture information as well as – if not better than – if they were on site. Our shared visions for simplifying life and delivering innovative technology to help solve problems are extremely aligned.”

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

The technology further allows multiple experts to join one call simultaneously, adding valuable second opinions.

O2 and Ericsson will also create a private network installation for Northumbrian Water at its Washington Water Treatment Plant in Tyne and Wear to guarantee uninterrupted network access and capacity for the business.

The first set of trials will also focus on three other key areas:

• AR Mapping – using 5G-powered AR to provide a 3D representation of buried assets for technicians. If successful, the technology could be extended to cover the layout of over 47,210km of water mains, pipes and conduits and would help engineers manage risks and hazards in real-time.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Management – allowing field technicians and engineers to quickly access and upload crucial data from Northumbrian Water’s central GIS database, without requiring a Wi-Fi or cable connection
• Home Water Maintenance App – an app for consumers to monitor their home’s water supply and flow, identifying any unusual patterns to flag potential issues ahead of time.

Derek McManus, Chief Operating Officer at O2, said: “When we launched our new network in October, we discussed rolling out 5G to a range of businesses that we are already helping to harness the power of connectivity.  “Northumbrian Water has been a fantastic advocate for the possibilities of 5G for UK business, and is a great example of how 5G can change the way we do things in the utilities sector and beyond. This is a significant milestone as we bring new capabilities to make real changes in people’s everyday lives.”

“We firmly believe 5G will continue to bring major new technological capabilities that will support entirely new business models, sectors, and more efficient ways of working,” he added.

A first for water

Martin Jackson, Head of Strategy & Enterprise Architecture at Northumbrian Water, commented: “5G is set to completely transform the way we live and work, creating exciting new possibilities and improvements for our business, our customers and the environment.”This is the first time a trial like this has ever been done by a water company and we’re incredibly proud to be leading the way in the utilities sector.”

AREA member Welsh Water have been using Augmented Reality for a while now. Read Welsh Water’s AREA member profile.

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

Initial certification paves the way for the availability of the award-winning, enterprise-grade Atheer “AR Management Platform” on the world’s lightest weight mixed reality glasses, the X2 Mixed Reality Glasses made by ThirdEye Gen, Inc.

This initial certification with ThirdEye’s head/gaze motion controls, audio commands, and gesture controls means that Atheer’s growing base of enterprise customers will soon have a new and exciting device to offer for its myriad use cases. ThirdEye’s Android-based X2 MR Glasses, the lightest weight mixed reality glasses on the market weighing just about 300 grams, offer a wide field of view with powerful sensors and advanced mixed reality features that are not available on monocular devices. The 13-megapixel camera on the X2 MR Glasses allows for HD video streaming of content. ThirdEye will also soon be offering cellular 5G compatibility which will allow technicians to use the glasses and software anywhere with built-in connectivity.

“It’s exciting to see Atheer, a well-established leader in the enterprise augmented reality market, complete initial certification of its award-winning AR management platform for use on ThirdEye’s X2 MR Glasses,” said Nick Cherukuri, Founder and CEO of ThirdEye. “We’re thrilled to be working with Atheer and together meeting what we know is a growing demand for enterprise AR across a broad range of use cases in vital industrial sectors including the automotive industry, telecommunications, aviation, and manufacturing.”

Atheer’s CEO, Amar Dhaliwal, is equally enthusiastic about the partnership. “We are thrilled about the initial certification of ThirdEye’s X2 Mixed Reality Glasses as it will soon give our customers access to a new, lightweight and more affordable binocular hands-free hardware option,” Amar said about the new device for their software.

Further reading:

Original press release

Atheer’s AREA member profile

ThirdEye Gen’s AREA member profile 

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.