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.

The Liebherr AR Experience, which can be downloaded free of charge as an app on smartphones and tablets, projects digital 3D data onto your surroundings with the help of augmented reality. Three different virtual construction sites can be anchored on any horizontal surface in the room and viewed from all imaginable perspectives. Every desk, every windowsill, every bar counter or every floor can become the stage for the Liebherr AR Experience. Different scenes that run like a three-dimensional film can be played for each construction site. Here, the observers become the camera crew. Discovering the complete product range from Liebherr-Werk Nenzing that relates to material handling, lifting and deep foundation work becomes an experience, which can be repeated again and again from different perspectives.

Crawler crane, deep foundation machine and duty cycle crawler crane engineering and technologies can be experienced in a completely new way.

Not only machines are in focus but also various assistance systems and digital solutions from Liebherr. Difficult, complex tasks are presented and explained, simply and comprehensibly. The app contains scenes and content relating to heavy lifts, material handling and deep foundation work.

Heavy lifts – LR 1300.1 – Crane Planner

Heavy lifting is a discipline that requires extremely precise preparation. Planning is of central importance here, in order to ensure the correct configuration is chosen right from the start. The app shows what Liebherr’s LR 1300.1 crawler crane is able to achieve, as well as how safely even the heaviest loads can be moved.

Material handling – HS 8200 – LiSIM

Turnover, handling, winch capacity, setup times, transport – performance is measured in many ways when it comes to dragline operation.

Deep foundation work – LRB 16 – LIPOS

More can be seen using the Liebherr app than in reality. It reveals not only what is happening above, but also what is happening below the surface when a Liebherr piling and drilling rig is at work. It is a new opportunity to experience the kinds of strength and precision that are simultaneously at play here.

The only requirement is an AR-enabled device.

At the company’s Belfast facilities, that innovation has been very much in evidence over the last several years as Thales has built on the strong foundation of its experience in advanced weapons systems (including lightweight, precision strike multirole missiles)

Thales’s UK Land & Air Systems Country Business Unit (CBU) addresses the needs of land, naval and air forces involved in conventional and asymmetric operations, including mounted and dismounted close combat, patrols, reconnaissance and counter-IED – to be their customers’ choice for mission critical information, services and products that protect, defend & save lives.

Thales Moves into Services

It is against the background of this kind of innovation that Belfast-based Thales Service Innovation Lead David Oliveira approached a new opportunity for his team. He said that although the company is well-known for the precision equipment it produces, Thales is also seeing rising revenues from its services business, and that’s where he saw an opening for further innovation.

“Our ambition to increase our services business revenue, partly relies on a digital transformation.” he explained. “Using Digital technologies to break down barriers between Industry – Customer – User whilst delivering our services at the heart of our customer’s operation, providing great user experience is key to success.”

One of the innovations that David’s team decided to focus on was remote assistance, resulting in Thales deciding to explore Augmented Reality (AR) to better support customers and Thales employees in the field. One of the first use case that arose in this exploration was finding better ways to support remote customers in South East Asia, being able to be reactive and avoid incurring the time and expense of flying a Field Service Engineer in from Belfast.

“We wanted to understand how we could deliver the expertise our customers require in an efficient way,” said David Oliveira. “We knew we wanted to look at remote assistance tools – so we started on the business case selecting a test use case, mapping our customer’s journey for technical support. This confirmed the validity of the use case and started a pilot phase.”

To explore AR, Thales selected the Atheer AR Management Platform and the RealWear HMT-1 to provide “see what I see” video calling, hands-free work and the capability to offer digital delivery of work instructions in a user’s field of vision.

He said the investment has already paid for itself in the travel costs saved. He gave as an example a case where Thales had some equipment requiring technical support in a remote location – and the work was complex enough that Thales would typically have had to fly someone out to understand and fix the issue.

Instead, using the Atheer platform, a member of the Thales team onsite was able to make a video call from their RealWear HMT-1 to a Thales expert in Belfast, who was able to provide the necessary support within 45 minutes. “Straight away, we had return on investment,” said David Oliveira.

Thales is now working to expand the way in which it uses the Atheer platform by creating work instructions to cover a number of the most common service issues team members face in the field as well as moving the remote assistance from pilot phase to production.

Read Atheer’s member profile 

The technology, along with virtual reality, also has great potential to train new mechanics, as demonstrated at the Dubai air show, where AFI KLM E&M has revealed its HoloLens mixed reality glasses.

Developed with the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre via a joint venture called Nuveon, HoloLens can superimpose a virtual environment over the real one, allowing complex systems and components to be recreated as a hologram in the wearer’s vision.

The technology has been trialed – and Part 145 EASA certified – with Gulf Air to train engineers on the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000, but AFI KLM E&M says that modules for other engines and systems are available.

Speaking to Inside MRO earlier this year, Gerrit Rexhausen, program manager of corporate innovation at Lufthansa Technik, was also impressed by the potential of AR technologies.

“AR technology offers great advantages in the preparation and display of data, especially in the maintenance area of ​​a hangar. We increasingly want to replace the fixed workstations in the hangars and aggregate the required IT systems on a mobile device,” he said.

Back at Gulf Air, chief executive Kresimir Kucko, said that “the participants in the training module were quickly won over by the simplicity and modernity of the solution.“

Notable here is the emphasis on simplicity, for while virtual reality training solutions are potentially more immersive, few virtual reality (VR) goggles offer the “complete freedom of movement“ the AFI KLM E&M promises from HoloLens.

Another disadvantage of VR is that it is a completely virtual environemnt, rather than a synthersis of real and holographic, although no doubt its immersive qualities will prove ideal for certain other types of training.

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 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.

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.

This issue has a related problem, which probably stems from the point at which a company first decides to have a “dabble”. The games engines, Unity and Unreal Engine, will have you believe that it is really easy to develop your first XR project. And you know what, it is. But that is assuming that you can get your 3D content into the games engine in the first place…

Many companies will spend absolutely ages re-crafting their 3D CAD into something that’s useable in a games engine, using a product like 3DS MAX. However, in doing so, the connection to the initial design is lost. Any downstream changes will need to be manually re-modelled, as these are maintained outside of the PLM process. Moreover, as the original geometry wasn’t used, the experience may be “representative” rather than actual.

So, if you are planning on using 3D content in your XR app then it is probably best to find a solution that can make best use of your existing CAD assets. A solution that can read the geometry as it was designed, and will prevent someone having to spend hours re-doing something that the designer already did.

The ability to re-use the designers work will save your company both time and money. Assuming that your XR app might be there to help train your maintenance teams on how to service your product, being able to get this information into their hands sooner rather than later, must be a good thing, right?

Theorem Solutions has developed the Visualization Pipeline to assist with this very problem. The Visualization Pipeline is a cloud based or on-premises server-based product that reads your native CAD, and delivers your 3D assets to you for your XR projects.

Whether you are using Unity or Unreal Engine to craft your XR experiences, the Visualization Pipeline can meet your needs. In addition to being able to translate the CAD file into something more useable, there are many advanced feature sets, that depending on your use case, could make a huge impact. Integrated features such as shrink wrapping, part culling and tessellation (modifying the number of triangles in models) provide many options ensuring that your 3D data is perfect for your project.

Moreover, this is a proper enterprise grade solution. The uploads can be scheduled, and are all stored in an easy to use library for you to access whenever you want them. It is also possible to integrate it with your workflow/PLM system.

See the original Theorem Solutions blog and how the team help their customers to implement the technology.

Read Theorem Solutions’ AREA member profile.

Kognitiv Spark‘s CEO, Yan Simard, credits the technical innovations achieved by the Kognitiv Spark team to create a secure and reliable augmented reality remote support tool and the deep expertise of company leadership in tandem with a strong, supportive network of industry partners with the company’s early–stage success.

“We’re excited to be receiving this recognition from Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50™ Awards. It stands as a testament to everything we’ve built here at Kognitiv Spark and the efficiencies our customers have been able to achieve using our product,” said Simard.

Companies-to-Watch winners are new companies headquartered in Canada, demonstrating superior technology, effective management experience and common traits with Deloitte Technology Fast 50 award winners. To be eligible, companies must also devote a significant portion of their operating revenues to creating proprietary technology or intellectual property.

“Companies-to-Watch winners deserve recognition for their early-stage growth, bold entrepreneurship and forward-thinking,” said Erica Pretorius, Partner and National Leader for the Technology Fast 50™ program at Deloitte Canada. “By demonstrating courage, seeking opportunities, and taking calculated risks, these outstanding companies are key to the success of the technology sector. Every winner should feel a sense of pride for this success, and motivation to continue striving to succeed in the future.”

ABOUT THE DELOITTE TECHNOLOGY FAST 50™

The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 program is Canada’s pre-eminent technology awards program. Celebrating business growth, innovation and entrepreneurship, the program features three distinct categories including the Technology Fast 50 Ranking, Enterprise Fast 15 category (recognizes fastest-growing enterprise-level technology, media, and telecommunications companies by revenue-growth percentage over their last four years of operation), and Companies-to-Watch Awards (early-stage Canadian tech companies with the potential to be a future Deloitte Technology Fast 50 candidate). Program sponsors include Deloitte, Bank of Montreal, CBRE, First West Capital, Miller Thomson, OMERS Ventures, 3C, and Lafond.

See Kognitiv Spark’s AREA member profile.

ABOUT KOGNITIV SPARK

Kognitiv Spark is a proven leader in secure and reliable applications of augmented reality software for industrial organizations. Its flagship solution, RemoteSpark, connects remote workers to subject matter experts to facilitate complex troubleshooting and task support, reducing equipment downtime and cutting costly expert travel. Using the Microsoft HoloLens, RemoteSpark allows for shared a voice and video connection between expert and remote users, multi-step animated holograms, task-relevant content delivery, field-of-view annotations, and IoT data integrations. RemoteSpark’s backend can be run both in cloud and on-premise computing environments.