Augmented reality (AR) is an extremely useful technology for the industrial sector. AR solutions help companies to improve the quality of production processes, reduce field support costs and increase safety standards.

At the same time, it’s important to know how to implement AR to integrate it into your industry correctly. We’ll look at how to efficiently implement AR in your company to leverage its full potential.

How augmented reality helps

Augmented reality is a technology that superimposes digital elements onto the real world, creating engaging experiences and connecting people who work in the field with remote users. AR solutions can be used in various industrial processes, including complex activities involving assembly, product design, logistics, and quality control.

AR technology is used successfully in many industrial sectors, such as Oil & Gas, manufacturing, maritime and renewable energy. These solutions are easy to use and implement and are suitable for large industries and small and medium-sized companies that want to improve certain processes and facilitate remote collaboration.

Naturally, it’s important to choose the right AR technologies, assess your needs and the accessibility of augmented reality solutions for the industrial sector that are available on the market. Plus, to use AR effectively, it’s important to develop specific skills and abilities, adjust certain technical and technological aspects, and promote a different mentality from before.

How to implement AR

Augmented reality can be implemented in various ways in industry but it’s important to follow a few basic steps to ensure successful integration.

Step 1: define use cases

Before implementing AR in your company, it’s crucial to define specific use cases for this technology. Companies should determine which processes can be improved using augmented reality, carefully assessing which existing activities are suitable for AR integration.

Step 2: perform tests

The next step is to perform tests to check how AR will work in certain specific cases before implementing it definitively in company processes. The ideal option is to test AR in a restricted environment to identify shortcomings and problems that need to be resolved in the existing structure before integrating augmented reality on a wide scale, combining it with all the use cases that could be improved by AR.

Step 3: train staff

Once companies are happy to introduce AR into their processes, it’s important to train employees so they can use augmented reality technologies correctly and efficiently. They are very simple and intuitive technologies so training costs are low and skills can be developed quickly and effectively, even using the AR itself for remote staff training.

Step 4: implement AR in your company

At this point, it’s possible to implement augmented reality in all company activities that can benefit from it, integrating the most suitable hardware and software for the company’s needs. There are countless solutions on the market but the most useful and beneficial for the industrial sector are wearable AR technologies.

Step 5: monitor and improve AR

After integrating AR into your company, it’s essential to monitor the impact of the technology on all levels. This includes getting feedback from employees to improve the settings and optimise performance. There are dedicated solutions these days to monitor the performance of AR devices and teams that use augmented reality, in order to optimise workflows and simplify operations.

Benefits of AR wearable technology for industry

The best solution for implementing augmented reality in the industry is AR wearable technology. It involves integrated hardware and software solutions including versatile and wearable remote collaboration tools integrated with apps and web platforms, suitable for any sector and field of application:

• Inspection;
• Maintenance;
• Emergency;
• Training;
• Assistance;
• Installation.

Wearable AR devices allow companies to connect technicians in the field with company systems, offering the workforce audio and video documentation in real-time to support workflows and reduce error rates.

This augmented reality technology is a very powerful tool for the industry as it helps companies to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve safety. This gives them a competitive advantage, revolutionising production and fieldwork by implementing AR.

Kiber is an exclusive, wearable AR remote communication solution, with fully integrated hardware and software. It allows remote users to experience the situation in the field as if they were there, while workers on site can get instant support in real time but still stay focused on the job thanks to wearable AR devices that offer an all-in-one, hands-free solution.

The Kiber AR technology ecosystem includes the new Kiber K3S, a versatile, wearable system integrated with Android smartphones, offering multiple hybrid phone/helmet applications and countless use scenarios. Kiber K3S has unique features to optimise fieldwork:

• High-resolution binocular display;
• Wide-angle camera;
• Fully integrated PPE;
• IP65 rating;
• 6–8 hour long-life battery;
• 5G connectivity;
• 12GB local storage;
• Handcam with a smaller field of view.

There is also a Kiber 3 Kit version available, with an ATEX Zone 1-certified wearable AR device for use in hazardous environments, which is CE and FCC-compliant with an IP65 rating. Kiber 3 Atex includes an extra wireless camera with optical and thermal imaging, to view difficult or hazardous details from afar and improve worker safety in the field.

Kiber wearable AR/XR technologies can be integrated with software solutions, including the new Kiber Field App to allow the workforce to quickly connect to remote users through their smartphones. Kiber interacts with the resources, devices, and systems used by companies today, offering fast and simple integration to improve efficiency and reduce costs.