Real-time collaboration between remote experts and on-site field personnel can lead to increased productivity, improved customer satisfaction and reduced travel costs. This article discusses the benefits of AR remote assistance, its current landscape and explores existing solutions for deployment.
The global Augmented Reality (AR) marketOpens a new window is expected to grow significantly to more than 198 billion U.S. dollars by 2025, showing promise of a high degree of competitive advantage for companies that have already integrated AR technology into their businesses. While AR adoption may vary by use case, its application within the remote assistance space can be beneficial across a wide range of industries that require inspection, maintenance and repair out in the field.
For any organization with a field service team looking to explore AR remote assistance solutions, but unsure of available options or how to begin, following is everything you need to know to help you get started today.
What is Remote Assistance
Also known as “see-what-I-see†collaboration, AR remote assistance allows for specialized expertise virtually anywhere. By combining live video streaming, two-way audio communication and AR capabilities, such as superimposed digital information overlaid on the user’s view of a physical environment, AR remote assistance connects experts with field personnel for real-time communication, inspection, instruction, and sharing of documents, photos and videos.
Components for a successful AR remote assistance session include the remote expert, field personnel and the mechanism for communication. Following is an example of what a remote assistance call typically looks like:
Expert Assistance is Required:
When assistance is required out in the field, the technician can utilize a remote assistance hardware device, whether that be a phone, tablet or smart glasses with a front-facing camera, to launch the application or software that enables collaboration between with the field technician and remote expert. The device must be connected to the Internet either through Wi-Fi or a portable or mobile hotspot.
Real-time Collaboration:
With a remote expert using a PC or laptop, connected to the Internet and with the remote assistance application running, he or she can answer the call and see exactly what the technician is seeing – on site, in real time. After the assessment is made, the remote expert can send files such as images, PDFs and videos, or make and send annotations that remain locked on the shared scene.
Complete Tasks:
Once the field technician receives the resources needed, the technician can continue working or end the call to complete the task.
AR remote assistance can be deployed across a wide range of industries, including A/V, appliance, HVAC-R, utility sector, restaurant, retail, manufacturing, insurance, and many more. Organizations of all sizes with a field service team can deploy AR remote assistance for any of the following business applications:
Remote Repair and Support:
By “seeing what the field technician sees†in real-time, remote experts can provide the appropriate audio or text instructions, PDF service manuals or tutorial video links to help expedite repairs.
Real-time Inspections:
Remote inspectors can see what the on-site team sees before signing off on equipment installations, quality control audits, approving repairs completed, or suggesting corrective action.
Improved Bids and Quotes:
Leveraging AR remote assistance, bid teams can remotely walk through a jobsite with local account teams prior to issuing a quote.
Progress Reviews and Post-Installation Inspections:
AR remote assistance enables on-site personnel to take notes or make real-time corrections during a progress review or post-installation inspection.
Why it’s Beneficial
Imagine your field technician is sent to a restaurant to repair a dishwasher on-site. It’s a Saturday night during the middle of a dinner rush – the line is out the door. Your tech quickly realizes this is a model they are not familiar with and it is critical to get help on the spot, right in the moment. With AR remote assistance, your technician is able to collaborate on-site with a specialist, allowing for a fast solution without the need for a site re-visit. Now imagine when a machine suddenly stops working, bringing the factory production line to a complete halt. The equipment downtime coupled with the time it takes for the expert to travel to the site can cost significant amounts of money, if not more, before it can get the production line up and running again. With AR remote assistance, service companies can better support their customers right when it’s needed, resulting in several benefits including:
Complete Tasks Faster:
In critical situations like those mentioned above, AR remote assistance allows field personnel to collaborate in real-time with remote experts to complete difficult tasks faster and with fewer mistakes, resulting in reduced execution time and equipment downtime.
Increase Productivity:
In niche industries, expert resources can be few and far in between. With AR remote assistance, experts can be utilized to provide instruction in the field without the need for costly and time-consuming travel. In addition, as experts age, traveling from place to place can be challenging. With remote assistance, you can virtually bring the world to them.
Reduce Costs:
Ultimately, AR remote assistance allows companies to save money in more ways than one. Businesses can potentially reduce re-work and travel costs and increase customer satisfaction by getting the job done right the first time, they can also use remote assistance for maintenance to reduce equipment breakdowns.
How to Deploy It
A lot has changed in the way we communicate that has led AR remote assistance where it stands today – from the remote support origins of only being limited on a desktop, to the progression of mobile, to now the availability of wearable devices and technology. In the current AR remote assistance landscape, there are two types of existing solutions available for deployment: hand-held vs. hands-free.
Hand-held:
The common availability of a phone or tablet, paired with accessible apps, like Skype or FaceTime, allows for an easy makeshift use of remote assistance. However, oftentimes this solution can be awkward and clunky and does not offer a true “see-what-I-see†point of view. For example, the front-facing camera on the phone might not always align with the field technician’s eyes, causing the expert to provide inaccurate information because the expert and technician are looking at different things. Additionally, in industrial or hazardous environments, there can be safety and efficiency issues associated with not being able to work hands-free.
Hands-free:
The value proposition of having a hands-free solution such as AR smart glasses allows technicians to still have situational awareness and have their hands free to make repairs while collaborating in real-time. In addition to offering a true “see-what-I-see†point of view, the AR smart glasses’ wearable display can be virtually transparent when necessary and allows field technicians to view instructions, photos, PDFs, and videos in high quality right in their field of view. Additionally, for environments with safety requirements, certified protective shields are readily available to be paired with, or are already integrated, with smart glass devices.
The future is promising for forward-thinking companies that are looking for ways to integrate AR remote assistance into their businesses. There are numerous customizable solutions that are available per the needs of each company. For companies that also want to test the waters but are not ready to fully commit, affordable first-step turnkey solutions that have lowered the barrier to entry are also available today that won’t break the bank.