How augmented reality will change our approach to inspection activities

Remote video support is a technology that allows remote technicians to be the digital eyes and hears of on-site workers and provide support during their activities. 

Nowadays, this approach has revolutionized the industry, increased the customer satisfaction and reduced time wasting and even the related costs.

Normally, requesting an expertise intervention would involve days of waiting and a considerable amount of money, but thanks to the possibility of accessing to a remote assistance, companies can benefit from experts’ knowledge while being at two different places.

Now that businesses have understood its potential, the technological development is focusing on making this service as accessible as possible.

Augmented reality proved to be the number one solution to enhance a successful remote video assistance.

Devices, such as our Kiber 3, represent tailor-made solutions able to provide assistance to companies who want to reduce intervention time and costs and, consequently, boost the overall efficiency.

But let’s now consider the reasons why this sector will represent one of the new challenges of 2021.

What are we talking about? An innovative way to perform the technical maintenance

Augmented reality software is projected to assist companies during ordinary maintenance procedures or while fixing a sudden system failure.

Thanks to AR wearable devices, remote technicians may spot the source of the problem and find a solution without being in front of the machinery.

The revolution introduced by this system, in fact, is the opportunity for experts to observe live the situations that may occur in any client’s site, without leaving their desk.

On-site workers are equipped with wearables AR tools – such as glasses or helmets – that let them communicate in real-time with the remote assistance.

This technology can reduce the distance: on-site operators may share photos or videos with the remote team, who is able to take digital notes (eg. text or images) on those same photos or videos and share them back with the operators.

Thanks to AR technology, companies may count on a constant remote assistance, who is always ready to intervene in case of need.

Read also: What you can learn about augmented reality (AR) & employee training

What are the advantages?

Considering all the above, we can clearly see what are the great advantages that the application of augmented reality may bring to companies in terms of remote assistance:

• Reduction of time involved: by reducing the time spent on spotting the source of the problem, companies may easily cut the overall time spent on the intervention and even avoiding taking up technicians for more days. Experts, in fact, sometimes are asked to visit personally the sites – even if this involves long business trips – to supply technical assistance and, once there, they figure it out that the problem could have been solved simply by giving directions to local operators.
• Saving money: if AR technologies allow companies to avoid time waste, they will consequently bring along a reduction of the related costs. In this way, businesses may reduce the transfer costs, by minimizing the on-site expert visits thanks to the remote connection between technicians and clients. 
• Improve efficiency: by using remote video inspections, companies can detect errors and damages more precisely and efficiently, letting experts guide local operators in complex solution procedures. It also cut inactivity and ineffective fixing, while reducing any need of transfers, bedding or extra service.
• Increase safety: when AR is used to perform remote video inspection, it also brings along advantages in terms of staff safety. Since the on-site operator is led by the instructions of a remote technician, he will certainly avoid any possible situation of danger, generating a double effect: employees will feel more safe and looked after and companies will be sure that no human error will result into bigger incidents.

In conclusion

AR remote assistance proved to generate faster, easier and cheaper inspections. Future developments will certainly bring along even more advantages for companies.

If you are interested in seeing what augmented reality can do for your business in the next year, don’t hesitate to contact us.