Although augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) have been around for just over a decade, their potential impact on industries including manufacturing and healthcare is only now becoming apparent. As technology continues to improve and more companies adopt these new workflows, the opportunity for productivity and efficiency gains increases too.
The Rise of Industry 4.0
You may have heard of Industry 4.0, which refers to the fourth industrial revolution. Industry 4.0 is a collection of technologies that are revolutionizing manufacturing and manufacturing processes, including augmented reality technology. It's a movement that began in Germany and has spread across Europe, as well as into China and Japan—and now it's becoming popular in North America as well.
Industry 4.0 is an umbrella term for many different fields of technology: robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), big data analytics—and augmented reality! With AR being such a powerful tool for companies looking to improve their workflow efficiency on the factory floor or warehouse space, it makes sense that many organizations are incorporating this tech into their plans for Industry 4.0 implementations.
Immersive Technologies
Immersive technologies, such as augmented reality and virtual reality can be used to improve the efficiency of your workers.
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital content on top of the real world. Mixed reality (MR) is a type of AR that uses light fields to create a hybrid environment where physical and digital objects coexist and interact in real time. Virtual reality (VR) creates an artificial world completely separate from your physical location through headsets like Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard.
In industry 4.0, immersive technology is used for visualizing operations or solving complex problems by isolating individuals in their own private workspace while collaborating with others through multiple devices simultaneously
What Is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality (AR) is a live view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. Unlike virtual reality, AR does not replace the real world but blends with it. Overlaying digital information on top of the real world lets users create new experiences that were once impossible.
AR technology can be used to overlay digital information on top of the real world. It has been used in applications as varied as retail and healthcare to design and manufacturing—and even for military purposes!
What is Mixed Reality?
Mixed reality is a combination of virtual reality and augmented reality. In simple terms, it's the technology that blends the physical world with the digital one.
Mixed reality applications are used in many different industries, including healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, and construction to improve productivity and efficiency.
The biggest benefit of mixed reality is that it's able to enhance existing products or even create new ones by merging real-world objects with virtual 3D models on a screen—you can see both at once!
How Do Mixed and Augmented Realities Differ?
Mixed reality is often referred to as a combination of the real world and virtual reality. Mixed reality is more immersive than augmented reality, but it's also more expensive and difficult to develop.
Augmented reality overlays computer-generated images on top of your field of vision in order to create interactive experiences. The term "augmented" comes from the Latin root word "augment" which means “to increase or add." Augmented reality uses sensors like GPS and cameras in order to overlay information onto the physical environment for you to interact with.
Wearable Devices
Wearable devices are being developed for a variety of purposes. Wearable technology that augments reality falls under the category of AR and can be used in several ways. For example, it can be used to improve productivity by providing workers with real-time information about their surroundings, such as alerts about safety hazards and critical equipment malfunctions. This information is often conveyed via audio messages from wearable devices, but it could also be displayed on a computer screen or projected into your field of vision through special glasses known as smart glasses.
Wearable technology can also play an important role in monitoring health conditions in industrial settings. For example, if you're working at high altitudes or have other respiratory issues (such as asthma), your doctor may prescribe medications that require regular doses throughout the day—and if you don't take them regularly enough or forget them altogether because they're inconvenient to administer (perhaps because they need refrigeration), these medications won't work properly—or at all! A wearable device could help solve this problem by reminding workers when they need to take their medication so that no one gets sick on account of forgetfulness or inconvenience.
Wearable devices aren't just useful for monitoring health conditions; they're also useful for tracking fitness levels over time so that people know how much exercise they need each week/month/year depending upon their goals related thereto.
The Impact of AR Technology on Productivity and Efficiency
AR technology is a powerful tool for productivity and efficiency. If you use AR in your work, it can help you become more productive and efficient.
For example, if you are an engineer who uses CAD to create 3D models of parts for your next project, imagine having an advanced AR assistant to help with the modeling process. This AR assistant would be able to show you exactly how each part will look in your final design before it’s even finished being built! This means that there’s less risk that something won’t fit or won't look like what you had imagined it would look like—and less time wasted on revisions and fixes!
Conclusion
In conclusion, we have seen that AR technology has a huge potential to improve productivity and efficiency in industrial environments. With the help of AR glasses, workers can be guided through complex procedures with ease and precision. Furthermore, mixed reality platforms allow remote collaboration between different organizations in real-time which makes them ideal for projects involving multiple locations or teams working together on one project remotely