MIS Asia: Cognizant’s APAC Head Says Augmented Reality is an Innovation Set to Take the World by Storm

“Augmented reality (AR) has captured the attention of everyone worldwide,” writes Jayajyoti Sengupta. “More than a passing fad, AR is now becoming an important technology in the enterprise, literally bringing the digital world to life.” Excerpts:

“For all their benefits, AR applications are also not complicated to deploy, and once properly in place, they require minimal effort for maintenance.

Success stories lend greater credibility to the benefits of AR and cement the technology’s position as an innovation set to take the world by storm. For example, in a pilot project, DHL found they were able to improve accuracy by minimizing errors, and increase efficiency by 25 percent when they equipped warehouse workers with AR-enabled smart-glasses that guided them through item picking for order fulfilment.

It is no wonder then, that many early-adopters in retail, manufacturing, utilities, education, tourism and gaming have started conducting field trials to test the technology’s ability in improving their employee engagement, workflow and business processes.

One area where AR is gaining traction is in workforce training. Many companies are increasingly applying AR tools to create training programs that drive employee engagement. According to the American Society for Training and Development, investment in employee training has a direct impact on the bottom-line.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of AR-based training lies in its ability to take learning from the textbook to the playground. Rather than have employees rely on hard copy instructions or user manuals, they are equipped with a handheld device such as an iPad or a wearable such as Google Glass instead. When these devices are directed on the AR machine, a realistic, 3-D, life-sized model of the machine is rendered into the physical world with information on each part of the machine and its role, making it seem as if they are training on a real machine. Learners can then interact with the 3D model using gestures and touch.

AR technologies can enable custom-designed maintenance solutions where complex procedures can be animated directly on the equipment. This enhances effectiveness or accuracy for employees as animation-based instructions and reference materials are overlaid directly on the physical equipment.

AR for inspection and maintenance is now being used across a wide spectrum of industries. Field service agents, for example, can use AR and wearable technology to access checklists and work manuals, interact with systems via voice and gestures, and provide remote support. AR is eliciting interest in the energy and utilities world for asset inspection, meter-reading, remote monitoring of tasks, and health and safety. In healthcare, AR can help nurses and clinicians to learn about surgeries, carry out modelling of organs, and explain medical procedures. Automotive companies can benefit from AR in diverse areas such as factory planning, product visualization, worker support and customer support. The technology can help industrial designers visualize and experience a product’s design and operation, car body structure and engine layout, to name a few.

AR is now viewed as a potential game changer, because it can produce experiences that can actually reduce hardware and people dependencies by delivering real-time information on user movements. Given the speed at which AR is impacting existing industries and creating new ones, it could also provide a huge benefit to any company willing to make the investment. In the end, the flexibility offered by AR makes it a frontrunner in the race for enterprise adoption over the long term.”

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