{"id":2089,"date":"2019-11-22T03:50:57","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T03:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kusuaks7\/?p=1694"},"modified":"2024-02-22T09:32:04","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T09:32:04","slug":"the-business-value-of-augmented-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/ai-ml\/the-business-value-of-augmented-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"The Business Value of Augmented Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI recently heard a very interesting\u00a0presentation<\/a>\u00a0at the\u00a02019 MIT CIO Symposium<\/a>, –\u00a0Why Companies Need an Augmented Reality Strategy<\/a>, – by Harvard professor\u00a0Michael Porter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0James Heppelmann<\/a>, CEO of\u00a0PTC<\/a>, an industrial software company.\u00a0\u00a0The talk was based on their\u00a0HBR<\/em>\u00a0article\u00a0A Manager\u2019s Guide to Augmented Reality<\/a>.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWe generally think of products as physical entities built with a combination of mechanical and electrical components, – e.g., appliances, cars, agricultural machines, industrial equipment, – some quite simple and some highly complex.\u00a0\u00a0But, in a 2014\u00a0HBR<\/em>\u00a0article<\/a>, Porter and Heppelmann introduced the notion of\u00a0smart connect products\u00a0<\/em>(SCPs), a whole new class of products that, in addition to mechanical and electrical components, use digital components like microprocessors, sensors, data storage, software, and connectivity in a wide variety of ways.\u00a0\u00a0Smart connected products are radically\u00a0reshaping companies<\/a>\u00a0and exposing them to new competitive opportunities and threats, while altering industry boundaries and creating entirely new industries.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThrough its first five decades, IT helped companies become significantly more productive, by automating many of their processes, reengineering their overall operations, and reaching out beyond the boundaries of the enterprise.\u00a0\u00a0But, their actual products were largely unaffected.\u00a0\u00a0This is\u00a0all now changing<\/a>\u00a0with the rise of the\u00a0Internet of Things (IoT)<\/a>,\u00a0cloud computing<\/a>,\u00a0Big Data<\/a>,\u00a0AI<\/a>, and other innovations whose combined impact is driving the new era of smart connected products.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAs the world\u2019s digital and physical infrastructures converge, IT is now an integral part of the products themselves.\u00a0Digital technologies\u00a0are designed right into the products.\u00a0\u00a0Massive amounts of product-usage data can now be gathered, stored and analyzed by a variety of applications in the product\u2019s cloud counterpart.\u00a0\u00a0The cloud might also include a\u00a0digital twin<\/a>\u00a0of each specific physical product, that is, a highly realistic 3-D digital model that monitors the real-time status of the digital twin\u2019s physical counterpart, – e.g., a jet engine, elevator or turbine, – and helps make important decisions such as the need for preventive maintenance to prevent a product failure.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn\u00a0\u00a0A Manager\u2019s Guide to Augmented Reality<\/a>, Porter and Heppelmann note that the constraint of dealing with highly complex products is no longer a lack of data and insights, but rather, how humans best assimilate and act on them.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThere is a fundamental disconnect between the wealth of digital data available to us and the physical world in which we apply it.\u00a0\u00a0While reality is three-dimensional, the rich data we now have to inform our decisions and actions remains trapped on two-dimensional pages and screens.\u00a0\u00a0This gulf between the real and digital worlds limits our ability to take advantage of the torrent of information and insights produced by billions of smart, connected products (SCPs) worldwide.\u201d\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWe need\u00a0smart connected humans\u00a0<\/em>to help us better deal with our complex SCPs.\u00a0\u00a0Their article argues that\u00a0augmented reality<\/a>\u00a0(AR) will become the key interface between humans and machines that\u2019ll help bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAR comprises a set of technologies that superimposes computer generated digital data, images and animation on real world objects.\u00a0\u00a0The technology is still in its early stages.\u00a0\u00a0Today, most AR applications are focused on entertainment and delivered through smartphone and tablet apps, e.g.,\u00a0Pokemon Go<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0But, they\u2019re being increasingly applied to\u00a0commercial and industrial applications<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0And, in addition to smartphones and tablets, they\u2019re being delivered through\u00a0hands-free devices<\/a>\u00a0such as AR smartglasses, head-mounted displays, and heads-up displays in cars.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAR enables a new information-delivery paradigm.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThough the web transformed how information is collected, transmitted, and accessed, its model for data storage and delivery – pages on flat screens – has major limits: It requires people to mentally translate 2-D information for use in a 3-D world.\u201d That isn\u2019t always easy, as anyone can attest who\u2019s assembled IKEA furniture by following its associated step-by-step instructions, who\u2019s tried to learn how to use their new car\u2019s entertainment and navigation system,\u00a0or who\u2019s\u00a0used a manual to fix an office copier.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\u201cBy superimposing digital information directly on real objects or environments, AR allows people to process the physical and digital simultaneously, eliminating the need to mentally bridge the two. That improves our ability to rapidly and accurately absorb information, make decisions, and execute required tasks quickly and efficiently\u2026\u00a0 The web, which began as a way to share technical reports, ultimately transformed business, education, and social interaction.\u00a0\u00a0We expect that AR will do the same thing for communication – changing it in ways far beyond what we can envision today.\u00a0\u00a0Companies will need to think creatively about how they can use this nascent channel.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe article discusses three key AR capabilities: visualize, instruct and guide, and interact.\u00a0\u00a0Let me say a few words about each.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVisualize<\/em>. \u201cAR applications provide a sort of X-ray vision, revealing internal features that would be difficult to see otherwise.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0For example, a medical device company,\u00a0AccuVein<\/a>, uses AR to convert the heat signature of a patients veins into an image superimposed on the skin, improving the success rates of blood draws and other vascular procedures.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tInstruct and guide<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0This is one of the most important applications of AR.\u00a0\u00a0Written instructions for assembly tasks or to learn how to use a new product are frequently hard to follow.\u00a0\u00a0Instructional videos help, but one needs to constantly map the video to the physical tasks at hand.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAR-enabled devices address these issues by providing real-time, step-by-step visual guidance on product assembly, both for consumer and industrial applications.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cComplicated 2-D schematic representations of a procedure in a manual, for example, become interactive 3-D holograms that walk the user through the necessary processes.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0In addition, AR-enabled devices can transmit the real-time images an on-site user sees to a remote expert, who can further assist with detailed guidance.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tInteract<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAR takes the user interface to a whole new level.\u00a0\u00a0A virtual control panel can be superimposed directly on the product and operated using an AR headset, hand gestures, and voice commands\u2026 A worker wearing smart glasses, for instance, will be able to walk a line of factory machines, see their performance parameters, and adjust each machine without physically touching it.\u201d\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAR is having an impact on just about all aspects of a product\u2019s value chain.\u00a0\u00a0In product development, AR allows realistic 3-D models to be superimposed on the physical world as holograms, helping engineers evaluate and improve designs.\u00a0\u00a0In manufacturing, where processes are often complex and mistakes are costly, AR can deliver just the right information to factory workers the moment it\u2019s needed, while making visible important data about each machine, thus reducing errors, improving productivity and preventing downtimes.\u00a0\u00a0In marketing and sales, AR can show customers how products will look in their homes or other real settings before buying them.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn after-sales service, AR has the potential to help companies switch from transactional selling to a long-term, service-oriented customer relationship.\u00a0\u00a0AR assists technicians serving customers in the field by showing them the status of the product based on the analysis of real-time product data, visually guiding them through needed repairs, and connecting them with experts as necessary.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cWhile the advances in artificial intelligence and robotics are impressive, we believe that combining the capabilities of machines with humans\u2019 distinctive strengths will lead to far greater productivity and more value creation than either could generate alone.\u00a0\u00a0What\u2019s needed to realize this opportunity is a powerful human interface that bridges the gap between the digital and physical worlds.\u00a0\u00a0We see AR as a historic innovation that provides this. It helps humans enhance their own capabilities by taking full advantage of new digital knowledge and machine capabilities.\u00a0\u00a0It will profoundly change training and skill development, allowing people to perform sophisticated work without protracted and expensive conventional instruction – a model that is inaccessible to so many today.\u00a0\u00a0AR, then, enables people to better tap into the digital revolution and all it has to offer.\u201d\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The augmented reality (AR) will become the key interface between humans and machines that’ll help bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds. AR comprises a set of technologies that superimposes computer generated digital data, images and animation on real world objects.  The technology is still in its early stages. Today, most AR applications are focused on entertainment and delivered through smartphone and tablet apps. But, they’re being increasingly applied to commercial and industrial applications. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":612,"featured_media":2841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[183],"tags":[97],"ppma_author":[3320],"class_list":["post-2089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ai-ml","tag-artificial-intelligence"],"authors":[{"term_id":3320,"user_id":612,"is_guest":0,"slug":"irving-wladawsky-berger","display_name":"Irving Wladawsky-Berger","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"","last_name":"Wladawsky-Berger","first_name":"Irving","job_title":"","description":"Irving Wladawsky-Berger, a Guest Columnist at WSJ CIO Journal, is Research Affiliate at MIT Sloan School of Management, Adjunct Professor at Imperial College, London, and Chairman Advisory Board at r4 Technologies."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2089","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/612"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2089"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2089\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36086,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2089\/revisions\/36086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2089"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=2089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}