AR Glasses For the Enterprise

Despite the hype, augmented reality hasn’t yet taken off as widely as some expected. But the technology is rapidly advancing, and it’s still being tested by both tech titans and upstart inventors.

AR smart glasses typically use cameras, sensors or environment identification technologies to register digital overlays on the user’s actual view. They may also offer GPS, SLAM (algorithm-based simultaneous localization and mapping technology) or other geolocation methods.

Augmented Reality

AR uses digital information to alter a user’s perception of the real world. Unlike virtual reality (VR), which creates a completely artificial environment, AR overlays information on top of the user’s actual surroundings.

AR apps use a camera to capture the user’s physical environment, and then deliver digital data in the form of images or video. This enables users to interact with ar glasses their surroundings in new ways. For example, an AR app might superimpose digital curtains or potted plants on a flat surface so users can see what they would look like in their home.

For consumers, the AR experience can be accessed through smartphones or a headset such as Google Glass or the Apple-designed ARKit headset. The technology is also being used by some professional services organizations to improve efficiency and accuracy. For example, a field service tech working in a remote location could rely on AR to quickly access a digital schematic of a machine, rather than calling in another technician to do the job.

The most advanced AR applications involve smart glasses and visors with built-in functionality. Companies such as Magic Leap, Vuzix, Nextech AR and others manufacture AR devices that can be worn in front of the eyes. Some feature a small display, while others have integrated cameras. The most powerful solutions are those that incorporate a computer chip to process visual information and display it in the lens of the device. This allows the device to read text, for instance, and translate it into voice commands for a hands-free experience.

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) glasses are designed to completely immerse the wearer in a digital world. They usually consist of a headset and goggles that cover the user’s eyes to block out the outside world and provide a view of a virtual scene or video. VR technology has been around in various forms for decades, including military training and gaming. However, it has recently become more accessible to the average consumer in lightweight goggles or headsets that can be purchased at retail stores.

The best AR and VR software delivers a natural, immersive experience that feels more like reality than a video game or an app. The key to this is environmental understanding, which enables the device to recognise its physical surroundings. Software tools like Google’s ARCore and Apple’s ARKit facilitate this. Device makers such as Nreal, Snap, RealWear, Iristick, Vuzix, and Meta Platforms also build this capability into their smart glasses and visors.

When using VR, it’s essential to read the setup guide and manufacturer’s documentation fully before attempting play. Users should also remove any potential hazards and make sure others are aware that they’re playing so that they don’t get in the way or interrupt the experience. It’s also recommended to stop play if you start to feel uncomfortable. For example, some people may experience nausea or motion sickness, particularly if the virtual environment is too realistic.

Location-Based Services

Location-based services are software applications that require or use geodata—information about a user’s real-time geographic location—to deliver information (Raper et al, 2007). They can be accessed through mobile portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and wireless communication technologies, including global positioning system (GPS) satellites, cellular tower pings and short-range wireless network technologies.

LBS applications that utilize Augmented Reality (AR) are gaining popularity, as the technology superimposes computer-generated information on the real-world images captured by the device’s camera. This allows users to view information in a natural context that is intuitive and easy to understand. Many navigation and wayfinding applications incorporate AR by overlaying route information over the real-world camera view of the user.

In order to ensure the privacy of user location data, most LBS systems are permission-based. This means that the end user must opt in to allow an application to track their location—this usually involves setting a default permission level and specifying whether the app is allowed to pull data at all times, only when the application is running or when it needs to know the device’s current location. These settings can be changed or updated at any time by the end user. In addition, some devices provide options for turning off or limiting location tracking altogether. This is important to reduce the risk of accidental or malicious tracking by application developers, device manufacturers and mobile network operators.

Collaboration

In the enterprise, AR glasses can help teams work together remotely. For example, a field service technician could wear AR glasses to collaborate with an expert at headquarters, or a pharmaceutical scientist might work with a colleague on a virtual hologram to discuss development hurdles or the impact of one drug discovery on the entire project.

The headsets could also be used to conduct remote meetings and presentations or to review blueprints, diagrams and other documents. They might also be used to create an immersive training environment.

While most consumers are waiting for Apple’s rumored AR glasses, some companies have already introduced devices. For instance, Lenovo’s ThinkReality A3 headset ar glasses is an interesting entry in the market, occupying a space between the field-ready Google Glass Enterprise 2 and the fully immersive Microsoft HoloLens.

This model tethers to Android or Windows host devices and has a binocular see-through Full HD display that supports collaborative work. It has a wide range of compatible software and can support a variety of mission-critical applications such as troubleshooting, maintenance and inspection.

The Moverio BT-45C and BT-45CS also have a rugged design to accommodate the demands of demanding and dynamic workplaces, including shock, dust and water resistance. It can support a number of compatible collaboration and remote assistance applications, and it is directly integrated with Resco Cloud for offline support, file transfer, media display, CRM integration and knowledge library.