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.

In the manufacturing sector most AR applications are still in their infancy, but they do have great potential. The beauty of augmented reality is its ability to present much more than digital characters or images. Using the technology, you can also overlay instructions, statistics and information. For an example, looking at a piece of equipment through an augmented reality device could overlay important data related to it, such as its current performance, output, and temperature.

Microsoft’s HoloLens mixed reality headset, a combination of augmented and virtual reality technology, has already been deployed in some manufacturing facilities for this reason. However, some of the most beneficial areas of its use is to help solve problems related to maintenance.

Let’s say some manufacturing equipment is broken. Using a mixed reality headset, a technician could simultaneously examine the physical parts of the machine, while also viewing text, instructions and images to help them to fix the problem. For example, the information that technicians need when checking or repairing an industrial motor can be projected directly on the part they are operating on. This eliminates the need to consult charts and instruction manuals, speeding up the process. Moreover, the information projected guides the operator chronologically, so that even a relatively unexperienced worker can perform the necessary repair.

This is particularly advantageous for complex equipment or facilities with inexperienced personnel. In these instances, augmented reality can be used to deliver expert support remotely from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), without no need to fly in technicians or specialists from the other side of the globe to resolve a particular issue.

Industrial robots provide a good example of this flexibility. Let’s imagine a six-axis robot has malfunctioned, but there are no employees on site with the expertise to fix it. Using a headset for remote maintenance would allow any employee with an AR device to be guided by a specialist — perhaps a robotics technician, in Japan — through the inspection, repair, or reset sequence.

The expert will provide support by simulating the actions the employee should perform.

This same technique can also be used to train new employees, a promising possibility considering the current shortage of skilled operators, technicians, and engineers.

In fact, training new employees is one of the most valuable areas for augmented reality in manufacturing. One of the biggest challenges to onboarding new team members is ensuring that each employee is aware of proper protocols and procedures. Uncertainties lead to safety issues, particularly in processing industries with dangerous operations.

In this instance, a mixed reality headset may not be appropriate because these usually are designed like VR headsets, so they can be obstructive and distracting to the wearer. A smaller device, such as a tablet, mobile phone, or a pair of digitally enhanced glasses, would be ideal.

Let’s say a new worker has assigned to operate some processing equipment that they have never used before. Using augmented reality technology, the device could automatically provide machine data to help the operator to complete the task correctly and safely. For example, delivering alerts if the machine is outside of the specified speed or temperature range.

Jaguar Land Rover has demonstrated the potential of augmented reality for training, in a joint project with Bosch and its REFLEKT ONE software system. The project developed an application that digitally visualized an ‘X-ray’ onto the dashboard of some of its vehicles. Using the technology, the app allowed technicians to see everything in operation behind the vehicle’s paneling — so there was no need to remove and reinstall the dashboard, simplifying training, and saving time and cost.

It has been two centuries since Kant envisioned. It is only recently that the technology is fulfilling its potential value for manufacturing. While these emerging applications may not be as novel as catching Pokémon, the technology is set to make a significant impact to training and maintenance.

AR does more than present digital characters, images, or other information for manufacturing operators and technicians. It imports expertise to the workplace.

Mark Howard is the U.S. country manager for EU Automation, an automation parts supplier

Companies that trade in food products are held to some of the highest regulatory standards. With globalization ongoing and a higher demand than ever for variety and niche products, companies find they need to expand the mobility of their services. They must also broaden their product choices without missing a beat when it comes to quality.

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have emerged as unlikely allies in that quest. These technologies are already having a positive impact on food and worker safety in the industry.

Improves New Employee Training

Onboarding and training new employees is a costly and time-consuming endeavor in any industry. Moreover, failure by companies to impart the necessary skills, and failure by employees to retain them, can have ghastly consequences. Errors on assembly lines may result in faulty products, recalls, worker and customer injuries, and worse.

The stakes in the food and beverage sector are just as high as they are in other labor- and detail-oriented industries. VR provides an entirely new kind of training experience for employees, whether they’re working on mastering their pizza cutting technique or brewing the perfect cappuccino. Other times, “getting it right” is about much more than aesthetic appeal and immediate customer satisfaction.

Animal slaughtering and processing facilities represent some of the more extreme examples of potentially dangerous workplaces in the larger food and beverage industry. Between 2011 and 2015, this U.S. sector experienced 73 fatal workplace injuries. Excepting poultry processing, 2015 saw 9,800 recordable incidents in animal processing, or 7.2 cases for every 100 full-time employees.

Some adopters of VR-based employee training claim that virtual reality yields up to an 80% retention rate one year after an employee has been trained. This compares extremely favorably to the estimated 20% retention rate of traditional training techniques.

Training via VR headset can help companies get new hires up to speed faster in a safe, detailed and immersive environment. Food processing and service are high-turnover employment sectors. The right training technology can help workers feel better prepared and more engaged with their work, potentially reducing employee churn.

Helps Eliminate Errors in Food Processing

Augmented reality is already demonstrating great promise in manufacturing, maintenance and other sectors. For instance, an AR headset can give an assembly line worker in an automotive plant detailed, step-by-step breakdowns of their task in their peripheral vision through a digital overlay.

The same goes for food and beverage manufacturing. AR headsets can superimpose a list of inspection or processing tasks for workers to follow as they prepare food items in a manufacturing or distribution facility.

In 2018, there was an estimated 382 recalls involving food products. Augmented reality alone won’t bring that number down to zero. However, it does help reduce instances of line workers and inspectors missing critical steps in processing or packaging that might result in contamination or spoilage.

Eases the Learning Curve in Food Preparation

There are lots of food products in the culinary world that are downright dangerous if they’re not prepared properly and by following specific steps. Elderberries, various species of fish, multiple root vegetables, and even cashews and kidney beans can all induce illness and even death if the right steps aren’t taken to make them fit for consumption.

In early 2019, inspectors descended on a Michelin-starred and highly respected restaurant in Valencia, Spain. The problem? A total of 30 patrons reported falling ill after eating at El País, one of whom lost her life. Everyone reported symptoms similar to food poisoning.

The common element in each case appeared to be morel mushrooms. These are considered a luxury food item, but failure to cook them properly can result in gastric problems and worse. Augmented reality could greatly reduce the likelihood of incidents like this in the future by providing ongoing guidance and reminders to new and veteran chefs alike, without taking the bulk of their attention away from work.

Brings New Efficiencies to Warehousing and Pick-and-Pack

Consumers around the globe are getting used to ordering even highly perishable foodstuffs over the internet—and there’s no putting that genie back in the bottle. Amazon’s takeover of Whole Foods is an indicator of what’s to come: Hundreds of freezer-equipped and climate-controlled warehouses located within a stone’s throw from a majority of the American population.

Ensuring smooth operations in perishable food and beverage supply chains is a major and ongoing struggle. It’s not just a practical headache for companies—it’s something of a moral imperative, too. The World Health Organization finds that around 600 million individuals worldwide fall ill each year due to foodborne illnesses.

Augmented reality won’t completely solve this problem, but it may greatly reduce a major source of potential spoilage and contamination: Inefficiencies in picking and packing operations. Order pickers equipped with AR headsets can:

• Receive visual prompts to quickly find their way to designated stow locations in refrigerated warehouses after receiving refrigerated freight.
• Locate pick locations more efficiently while retrieving single items or when they already have a partial order of perishable goods picked.

In both cases, the visual cues provided by AR help employees navigate warehousing locations much more quickly and efficiently. This substantially lowers the likelihood that food products are stuck in limbo in unrefrigerated areas, potentially coming into contact with noncompliant temperatures or pathogens. The FDA recognizes mispackaged and mislabeled food products as a major public health risk.

For food and beverage companies, AR should be a welcome development and a worthy investment. FSMA recognized that 48 million Americans get sick each year from compromised foods. The act required these entities to be much more proactive in drawing up prevention plans for known sources of contamination and to be more deliberate in standardizing their processes for safety’s sake.

AR and VR Boost Food, Worker and Customer Safety

Augmented and virtual reality may seem like an unusual ally in an industry where most consumers are primarily focused on the aesthetic and sensory aspects of the experience. However, there’s a whole world that lives and dies according to the speed and attention to detail of employees and decision-makers alike. Augmented realities, and entirely new ones, point the way forward.

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.