Coronavirus and business: companies choose Augmented Reality
The social distancing measures in response to the Coronavirus pandemic suddenly strengthened the interest of companies and the public at large in Augmented Reality technology.
From entrepreneurs who discovered a valid remote tool to artists who created AR filters every week for Instagram to entertain people locked up all day at home, Augmented Reality has become one of the most requested technologies of the moment.
The use of advanced digital tools during the epidemic ensured that critical operations such as sales or customer assistance both to clients and field technicians engaged in maintenance and repair work continued.
Here are some examples of Augmented Reality applications in the Retail sector: Burberry has launched an AR shopping tool that allows you to view 3D bag models when searching on Google, by tapping on the “View in 3D” button. At IFA 2019 in Berlin, JoinPad launched the Augmented Layout application exclusively for Samsung Tab Active Pro tablets showcasing the virtual version of industrial machinery to transform and support sales processes in the industrial sector. Designed as an interactive product presentation tool, complementary to regular business trips, it is now the most effective solution to approach the market in the post-Covid19 period.
Augmented Layout for Samsung Tab Active Pro
But it was not only the commercial sectors that benefited from the new technological solutions: also the medical industry, the most engaged in the fight against the pandemic, had the opportunity to test its potential. JoinPad recently collaborated with LLVision, a Chinese startup producing smart glasses, to create an AR solution to reduce exposure to the infection of medical staff in Wuhan by carrying out the remote diagnosis. While at Imperial College in London, doctors are currently testing an AR solution on Microsoft’s HoloLens headset that allows them to interact and exchange patient information by avoiding medical team gatherings in the same room.
In the months that have seen the whole world struggling with the Coronavirus pandemic, the demand for remote support solutions in Augmented Reality has grown exponentially. JoinPad reported a 980% increase in requests for Smart Assistance compared to the previous year.
The trend towards the adoption of new digital tools has also been strong in Italy and seems to have created a new awareness in businesses. At the beginning of the year, indeed, research by the Digital Innovation Observatory of the Polytechnic of Milan still underlined the propensity of small entrepreneurs to recognize, on the one hand, the importance of digitalization but noting a lack of interest in making substantial investments this year.
To date, the whole world is re-evaluating its attitude towards technological innovation that has allowed most companies to continue their operations while others have even grown and launched new online services. According to Statista‘s forecasts, the Augmented Reality technologies market alone is expected to grow by over 18 billion dollars (about 16 billion euros) by 2023, especially in the manufacturing, utilities, and telecommunications sectors.
In the latter field falls our recent collaboration with CommScope, a global network infrastructure provider company that turned to JoinPad to improve the remote configuration of the platform imVision for its customers.
Source: Statista – Global market spend on extended reality (XR) technologies 2018-2023, by industry.
Coronavirus and business: companies choose Augmented Reality
The social distancing measures in response to the Coronavirus pandemic suddenly strengthened the interest of companies and the public at large in Augmented Reality technology.
From entrepreneurs who discovered a valid remote tool to artists who created AR filters every week for Instagram to entertain people locked up all day at home, Augmented Reality has become one of the most requested technologies of the moment.
The use of advanced digital tools during the epidemic ensured that critical operations such as sales or customer assistance both to clients and field technicians engaged in maintenance and repair work continued.
Here are some examples of Augmented Reality applications in the Retail sector: Burberry has launched an AR shopping tool that allows you to view 3D bag models when searching on Google, by tapping on the “View in 3D” button. At IFA 2019 in Berlin, JoinPad launched the Augmented Layout application exclusively for Samsung Tab Active Pro tablets showcasing the virtual version of industrial machinery to transform and support sales processes in the industrial sector. Designed as an interactive product presentation tool, complementary to regular business trips, it is now the most effective solution to approach the market in the post-Covid19 period.
Augmented Layout for Samsung Tab Active Pro
But it was not only the commercial sectors that benefited from the new technological solutions: also the medical industry, the most engaged in the fight against the pandemic, had the opportunity to test its potential. JoinPad recently collaborated with LLVision, a Chinese startup producing smart glasses, to create an AR solution to reduce exposure to the infection of medical staff in Wuhan by carrying out the remote diagnosis. While at Imperial College in London, doctors are currently testing an AR solution on Microsoft’s HoloLens headset that allows them to interact and exchange patient information by avoiding medical team gatherings in the same room.
In the months that have seen the whole world struggling with the Coronavirus pandemic, the demand for remote support solutions in Augmented Reality has grown exponentially. JoinPad reported a 980% increase in requests for Smart Assistance compared to the previous year.
The trend towards the adoption of new digital tools has also been strong in Italy and seems to have created a new awareness in businesses. At the beginning of the year, indeed, research by the Digital Innovation Observatory of the Polytechnic of Milan still underlined the propensity of small entrepreneurs to recognize, on the one hand, the importance of digitalization but noting a lack of interest in making substantial investments this year.
To date, the whole world is re-evaluating its attitude towards technological innovation that has allowed most companies to continue their operations while others have even grown and launched new online services. According to Statista‘s forecasts, the Augmented Reality technologies market alone is expected to grow by over 18 billion dollars (about 16 billion euros) by 2023, especially in the manufacturing, utilities, and telecommunications sectors.
In the latter field falls our recent collaboration with CommScope, a global network infrastructure provider company that turned to JoinPad to improve the remote configuration of the platform imVision for its customers.
Source: Statista – Global market spend on extended reality (XR) technologies 2018-2023, by industry.
Configuring a remote network system: CommScope Use Case
From troubleshooting to maintenance and installation of communication systems, CommScope, a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks, provides different types of assistance every day on its products at different levels that often require the presence of technicians and experts on the field.
During the Coronavirus lockdown, CommScope chose to reach its customers using JoinPad’s Smart Assistance. The Augmented Reality (AR) platform allowed field personnel to connect with an expert within the company to best guide them in carrying out maintenance activities, thousands of miles away.
“We used the tool [Smart Assistance] to aid in performing the initial configuration and turn-up of CommScope’s automated infrastructure management, imVision, ” said Michael German, Technical Director at CommScope. “An important customer commissioned the imVision solution. The processes associated with configuring the hardware components require a certain knowledge and skill set. In this case, we were not able to have an expert on-site due to the current pandemic. The expert was able to use the tool to remotely guide less knowledgeable personnel through the hardware configuration and turn up.”
Remote assistance applications in Augmented Reality have many more features than a regular real-time video conferencing tool. The computer vision algorithms allow the user to attach virtual texts and symbols such as arrows, warning signs, circles – to provide and receive indications during remote support sessions. Visual assistance facilitates intervention, allowing to carry it out quickly in a clear-cut way as it avoids making operators waste time in long voice disambiguations.
Source: CommScope – Remote expert guides the on-field operator in the installation of the network server panel using Smart Assistance.
From an economic point of view, it is possible to obtain a considerable decrease in travel costs and completion time of the operation. At the same time, other advantages may be the quick and interactive knowledge transfer, and the ability to maintain a high level of customer service despite external causes of force majeure.
The Smart Assistance tool is an enabler for projecting expertise to people and places where that expertise is needed. It has allowed us to maintain key commitments to our customers during this time of disruption of normal activities. – Michael German
The application is available on the Google Play Store and Apple Store and is compatible with a wide range of smartphone and tablet devices.
Countless companies, not only in the USA but also in Italy, are following the example of CommScope by choosing to digitize their remote assistance and guarantee a safer and faster processes thanks to AR.
Configuring a remote network system: CommScope Use Case
From troubleshooting to maintenance and installation of communication systems, CommScope, a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks, provides different types of assistance every day on its products at different levels that often require the presence of technicians and experts on the field.
During the Coronavirus lockdown, CommScope chose to reach its customers using JoinPad’s Smart Assistance. The Augmented Reality (AR) platform allowed field personnel to connect with an expert within the company to best guide them in carrying out maintenance activities, thousands of miles away.
“We used the tool [Smart Assistance] to aid in performing the initial configuration and turn-up of CommScope’s automated infrastructure management, imVision, ” said Michael German, Technical Director at CommScope. “An important customer commissioned the imVision solution. The processes associated with configuring the hardware components require a certain knowledge and skill set. In this case, we were not able to have an expert on-site due to the current pandemic. The expert was able to use the tool to remotely guide less knowledgeable personnel through the hardware configuration and turn up.”
Remote assistance applications in Augmented Reality have many more features than a regular real-time video conferencing tool. The computer vision algorithms allow the user to attach virtual texts and symbols such as arrows, warning signs, circles – to provide and receive indications during remote support sessions. Visual assistance facilitates intervention, allowing to carry it out quickly in a clear-cut way as it avoids making operators waste time in long voice disambiguations.
Source: CommScope – Remote expert guides the on-field operator in the installation of the network server panel using Smart Assistance.
From an economic point of view, it is possible to obtain a considerable decrease in travel costs and completion time of the operation. At the same time, other advantages may be the quick and interactive knowledge transfer, and the ability to maintain a high level of customer service despite external causes of force majeure.
The Smart Assistance tool is an enabler for projecting expertise to people and places where that expertise is needed. It has allowed us to maintain key commitments to our customers during this time of disruption of normal activities. – Michael German
The application is available on the Google Play Store and Apple Store and is compatible with a wide range of smartphone and tablet devices.
Countless companies, not only in the USA but also in Italy, are following the example of CommScope by choosing to digitize their remote assistance and guarantee a safer and faster processes thanks to AR.
A new working normality
Most technology experts and entrepreneurs think that Augmented Reality, after playing an essential role amid the pandemic, will spread permanently across working environments in the coming years.
According to German Rodriguez, JoinPad’s US Country Manager
“We are receiving a huge amount of requests for Smart Assistance because the post Covid19 world will continue to follow some of the rules of the lockdown. Business travel will be limited to what is strictly necessary, so companies are looking for alternatives. The post Covid19 world will feature less travel and more technology. “
In addition to the cost reduction already mentioned, AR integrates into existing business processes with relative ease, depending on the size and complexity of the project, improving collaboration between people, and between users and intelligent IoT systems. In the case of Smart Assistance, the operator can familiarize himself and use the tool within a few days.
The most interested in this technology are telecommunications, machinery and industrial plant manufacturers, and 3D printers makers since their products require constant maintenance. Other fields of application that will benefit more and more from AR in the future are office work, e-learning and school activities, training, and the tourism sector.
Facebook is betting heavily on this technology. Recently its head of the AR / VR division, Andrew Bosworth, has posted on Twitter a video showing how he imagines working at the desktop in the future using Mixed Reality (AR + VR). The vision gathered a lot of consensus among Twitter users.
A new working normality
Most technology experts and entrepreneurs think that Augmented Reality, after playing an essential role amid the pandemic, will spread permanently across working environments in the coming years.
According to German Rodriguez, JoinPad’s US Country Manager
“We are receiving a huge amount of requests for Smart Assistance because the post Covid19 world will continue to follow some of the rules of the lockdown. Business travel will be limited to what is strictly necessary, so companies are looking for alternatives. The post Covid19 world will feature less travel and more technology. “
In addition to the cost reduction already mentioned, AR integrates into existing business processes with relative ease, depending on the size and complexity of the project, improving collaboration between people, and between users and intelligent IoT systems. In the case of Smart Assistance, the operator can familiarize himself and use the tool within a few days.
The most interested in this technology are telecommunications, machinery and industrial plant manufacturers, and 3D printers makers since their products require constant maintenance. Other fields of application that will benefit more and more from AR in the future are office work, e-learning and school activities, training, and the tourism sector.
Facebook is betting heavily on this technology. Recently its head of the AR / VR division, Andrew Bosworth, has posted on Twitter a video showing how he imagines working at the desktop in the future using Mixed Reality (AR + VR). The vision gathered a lot of consensus among Twitter users.
Conclusion
The Covid19 crisis has made remote work an unstoppable trend in all sectors. Even the B2B operations – sales, assistance, maintenance meetings – which previously seemed to require the physical presence on the field of expert technicians and managers can now be carried out remotely quickly and with less resource consumption through the new telecommunication technologies in Augmented Reality.
CommScope is a perfect example to follow. The company promptly adapted its customer service during the crisis by activating solutions for remote collaboration and is still planning to extend the use of Smart Assistance in the post-pandemic period.
The pandemic has really pushed the digital transformation of business processes. Now, many companies will try to avoid wasting the effort sustained by effectively initiating a new, more decentralized working normality thanks to the use of immersive technologies.
Conclusion
The Covid19 crisis has made remote work an unstoppable trend in all sectors. Even the B2B operations – sales, assistance, maintenance meetings – which previously seemed to require the physical presence on the field of expert technicians and managers can now be carried out remotely quickly and with less resource consumption through the new telecommunication technologies in Augmented Reality.
CommScope is a perfect example to follow. The company promptly adapted its customer service during the crisis by activating solutions for remote collaboration and is still planning to extend the use of Smart Assistance in the post-pandemic period.
The pandemic has really pushed the digital transformation of business processes. Now, many companies will try to avoid wasting the effort sustained by effectively initiating a new, more decentralized working normality thanks to the use of immersive technologies.
I’m glad you mentioned how Augmented Reality can allow for virtual texts and assistance. My brother is wanting to integrate augmented reality for his business and his design models. It sounds like a smart idea for him to try out visual configurations for his business model.