Augmented and virtual reality – into a new dimension

Professional applications

The increasing networking of systems and processes through Industry 4.0 applications is being steadily driven forward not only in German businesses. This is one of the reasons why innovative technologies such as augmented and virtual reality are finding their way into companies, making everyday work easier for both them and their employees.

It is hardly surprising that Industry 4.0 solutions are becoming an increasingly significant economic factor in Germany. forecasts, revenue for Industry 4.0-specific hardware, software, and IT services reach €5.9 billion this year, representing an increase of over 20 percent compared to 2016. This growth is expected to continue in the medium term, with further increases of over 20 percent to €7.2 billion projected for 2018.

Considering the rapid development of augmented and virtual reality technology, the immense potential of virtual worlds becomes clear. The US financial institution Goldman Sachs predicts that global revenues from AR and VR hardware and software will reach $60 billion in 2020, with a further increase to $80 to $90 billion possible by 2025. Given this enormous sum, it's worth examining the diverse applications of this technology, as its implementation in the professional sector is still relatively limited.

The hurdles

This is partly due to the fact that hardware and software development has not kept pace with the initially high expectations. The range of smart glasses, in particular, is still quite limited, resulting in currently high purchase costs.

However, beyond the cost factor, there are several limiting factors. It is certain that, despite the many hardware and software solutions presented or already available, the development is still in its early stages, which currently hinders widespread adoption in operational processes. For example, VR and AR glasses are not yet suitable for employees to wear for an entire workday.

This is primarily due to the lack of comfort caused by the devices' excessive weight and the limited display capabilities. However, the introduction of significantly smaller headsets and simultaneous improvements in graphics performance should make the hardware suitable for continuous professional use.

Another limiting factor is the software, as well as the adaptation and integration of the vast amounts of data for virtual systems. Digital data must be made "readable" for VR and AR, and this doesn't even include all the data that hasn't been digitized yet. Furthermore, the virtual representation of real spaces, whether factory floors or the inside of an engine, requires that they have been scanned beforehand. Therefore, it can be assumed that many more 360-degree camera tours of buildings and machines will be necessary, either manually or with drones, before companies can create virtual realities from this data. There is still a lot of work ahead for developers and programmers, because what good is the best technical equipment if the devices aren't filled with suitable content? A standardized form of data aggregation would be desirable and would significantly increase productivity, allowing both software and hardware providers to optimize their systems accordingly.

The potential

Although VR and AR are currently primarily associated with private use in the form of games or media consumption, there are already numerous applications in the professional sector (for example, in the automotive industry ). And it is precisely in this area that many new applications will be developed as the systems become more widespread.

quality assurance

• Automated identification of assembly errors
• Simplified target/actual comparisons in production processes
• Guidance for employees in assessing product quality

maintenance

• Smart Maintenance – faults and damage are automatically recorded
• Predictive Maintenance – Equipment wear is monitored in real time and appropriate action is taken.
• Instructions and repair steps displayed via data glasses
• Do-it-yourself repairs for customers via instructions using smart glasses

Project planning

• Location-independent 360-degree planning, even for complex systems
• Seamless monitoring of project progress

Project management

• Location-independent conduct of virtual meetings
• The use of simultaneous translation eliminates language barriers.

Trade fairs and exhibitions

• Presentation of entire product ranges or very large products in a small space
• Purely virtual performances can be broadcast regardless of location: FLIGHT CONTROLLER
• Incorporation of customer-specific adjustments in real time into trade fair presentations

Market research

• Location-independent testing of virtual prototypes by any number of test subjects

Marketing and Sales

• Creating novel, emotional product experiences and corporate presentations
• Virtual showrooms presented a location-independent product range.
• Virtual tours for prospective buyers of investments or real estate (for real estate agents)

Customer service

• Consultation by virtual experts (algorithms)
• Additional information will be provided if required.
• Emotional product testing before purchase (B2C, for example fashion)
• Smart mirrors with additional information enable virtual try-ons.
• The shopping experience is enhanced, leading to higher satisfaction and a lower return rate.

Employee training

• Interactive options to make work processes easier to understand.
• On-the-job training – additional information and support from an expert team are available at any time.

Personnel planning

• realistic presentation of the company and its position to the candidate
• Conducting recruitment tests with AR and VR support

Occupational safety

• Smart glasses allow for early warnings in dangerous situations.
• Realistic safety training with virtual support reduces the risk of workplace accidents.

An outlook

Future advancements in IT and communications technology, including increasingly powerful hardware such as high-resolution, lightweight smart glasses, fast processors and graphics cards, and additional interactive features, will enable AR and VR to explore entirely new avenues. These two technologies will increasingly overlap and merge into a mixed reality. In this environment, physical processes are transferred into a virtual world and processed there seamlessly.

It will also be possible to integrate multisensory elements such as touch or smell, further expanding the range of possibilities. While the mapping of the sense of taste or thought control of processes may sound like pure science fiction, work on these concepts is already underway in laboratories.

In a study on the future prospects of AR and VR, the consulting firm KPMG predicts that by 2025, “hardware, sensors, and algorithms for context and situation recognition will have advanced so significantly that we will be wearing AR glasses as constant companions.” Whether at work or in our personal lives, these digital assistants will provide people with additional information they need at any time and manage communication, for example, through video conferences with colleagues or friends. Many functions of current smartphones will then be taken over by smart glasses, and watching a movie will no longer require sitting in front of the television. In the professional world, frequent flyers will find it more difficult to accumulate miles: Why travel to the new production partner in China or the planned factory in Mexico when site visits and communication are possible in real time from the desk using smart glasses?