Knowledge from skilled engineers creates 'assisted reality' for new workers

Putting skilled workers’ extensive knowledge into augmented-reality programs can make “immeasurable” productivity differences in manufacturing, two companies have claimed.

Describing the latest buzzphrase of ‘assisted reality’, Justin Hester from robotics manufacturer Hirotec said the biggest benefits of augmented reality – mobile devices, goggles or glasses overlaying information and images onto users’ view of their surroundings – come in the workplace when combined with senior workers’ experience. 

Speaking at a panel discussion during the digitally-focused LiveWorx conference in Boston, Massachusetts, Hester said augmented reality for training is an “awesome” application but works even better as a realtime tool with customised information and voices. 

In particular, skilled employees can use wearables to record themselves carrying out processes and reacting to changes in the workplace. 

“We’re taking skilled employees who know very well how to do their job… taking their data into the system,” he said. 

“With assisted reality now, we get instantaneous feedback from that expert. As soon as they make that measurement or that determination of what’s going on, they feed that, through voice, into the system. It’s almost, for want of a better term, ‘sensorising’ our experts. Our experts become a sensor into the system.”

The process ensures that new recruits follow instructions without missing important steps, Hester said. The information can be overlaid in 2D form, rather than in complicated 3D models. 

Hirotec uses host company PTC’s augmented-reality platforms for its assisted-reality programs. 

“This is the first time we have taken skilled workers and it’s making immeasurable production differences,” said event chairman and PTC vice-president Jeff Miller. “The excitement here is the innovation that is happening as a natural consequence of rolling this technology out.”