Augmented Reality and Frontline Workers

The position of technician or machine operator in a factory is probably one of the most widespread in the industrial sector. It is a position that over the years has maintained a very linear trajectory, respecting the mechanical tradition of routine and manual work.

Faced with this traditional panorama, there are many obstacles that hinder and slow down the work, such as the lack of digitalisation of knowledge, delays in the resolution of problems, lack of immediate attention, difficulties in technical training, costs in travelling to attend to the technician, and more.

This is definitely a working condition with room for optimisation, which is an opportunity for technology companies. Both the present and the future point to digitalisation as a method of improving the industry, seeking to break counterproductive dynamics in exchange for digital innovation.

Under this definition, can augmented reality really respond to the problems of the industrial niche and optimise the environment of front-line workers?

At Innovae we have a clear answer: a resounding yes. As a leading company in the application of augmented reality in industrial environments, we are committed to the sum of benefits offered by this technology.

So what are the advantages of using augmented reality in industry?

Augmented reality technology allows real and virtual elements to converge in the same space. This means that the everyday space of a factory can be enriched with extended information appropriate to the situation, which can facilitate problem solving or task completion. The integration of content can be done in different ways depending on the need, either simply with superimposed documents or high-quality 3D models and animations. In addition, augmented reality responds sensitively to the environment and location, adapting to the space as an extension of reality.

The overlapping elements also allow for dynamic interaction. By offering a multimodal user interface, elements can be manipulated both by gestures and voice. Beyond this, augmented reality allows for the addition of text, graphics and hand-drawn images in real time, adapting the technology to the use required at the time. The real-time factor is one of the keys to taking advantage of augmented reality, allowing experts and technicians to connect remotely and deal with problem solving in an optimal and collaborative way.

Another of the great powers of digitalisation, whether with augmented reality or other technologies, is its capacity to store the activity carried out. When working in the field, for example when solving a problem with machinery, it is of interest to be able to record what happened for future revisions, recurrences or monitoring of assets. Digitalisation allows access to information and data in an agile and simple way, avoiding the loss of time.

At Innovae, as a technology company that seeks to empower the workforce, we include these functionalities in some of the products we offer, such as SAAM and ATR. Although the transition to digitalisation can be a difficult change for some companies, at Innovae we always make sure to create solutions that are easy to adapt, without requiring previous experience to use them. If you want to know more about our augmented reality initiatives, do not hesitate to contact us!