Few days ago, I had chance to write about new types of user experience. In my view, enterprise systems in general and PLM needs to find new ways to communicate with customers. The impact of consumer oriented application will be significant in coming years. One of them is Augment Reality. For me, the very interesting aspect of Augment reality is in the ability to link virtual and physical world. If I’m thinking about PLM as an information model of product development, the potential to connect this information model to manufacturing processes and to the real objects in the world can provide huge value. I’m thinking about few possible directions and use cases.
Virtual Identification
One of the interesting products in this space is Google Googled. Started with vision of Visual Search, this product is migrating to become a tool that helps you to combine virtual information (map, places) with real physical location.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrE7yVJaA08&]
What is interesting is that one of the first times, examples of augment reality in manufacturing shop floor were presented by this futuristic Microsoft’s video (you can use this link to get directly to the specific place in this video).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr-GXnNN37c&feature=PlayList&p=64B3A2229380F2B0&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=6#t=1m48s]
Virtual Design
Another direction in application of augment reality is actually design field. The ability of combination of the outside world (interior, car or airplane compartment or any other) with virtually designed elements can give a significant improvement in the way we can design things.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MytC7rnnJM8]
Simulation
One of the possible implications of augment reality on simulation can be an ability to combine external input and virtual simulated environment. The potential problem of simulation is in identification of environment and parameters required for simulation. The ability to capture environment simultaneously with performing simulation can be one of the possible next steps in this direction.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kn37kvGpHQ&NR=1]
What is my conclusion? Augment reality brings a lot of excitement. I think, within a short period of time, of time we’ll see more application of such tools to the real scenarios in engineering and manufacturing. From the technological standpoint, it will require a significant changes in the underline enterprise software architecture related to openness of existing system in the enterprise. I’m watching this space with huge interest.
Best, Oleg
