AR-based remote assistance combines the interactivity of AR technology with the ability to connect to others in real-time through voice or video calls. Organizations can use AR-based remote assistance to connect employees and share information from anywhere in the world.
While other learning modalities are better suited for initial training to meet learning objectives, having access to SMEs to assist for just-in-time assistance can help with long-term knowledge retention.
When training on complex tasks helps to have subject matter experts (SMEs) at hand. However, what happens when you have multiple locations across the globe and a limited number of SMEs?
Meet AR-based remote assistance. By combining augmented reality technology with video conferencing, you can connect your learners with SMEs when they need it the most.
In this article, we’ll review what AR-based remote assistance is and cover a few ways it’s being used.
What Is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality (AR) is a type of extended reality technology that allows you to insert text, images, video, 3D models, and other digital assets into the real world by using a smartphone, tablet, or headset.
As organizations utilize AR for training and development, they are also exploring how AR technologies can be used for real-time learner support. By enhancing reality with digital elements, you can draw your learners’ attention to exactly what they need to learn.
Read More: What is Augmented Reality Training? Everything You Need to Know
How Organizations Are Using AR
DHL set a goal to improve the quality and overall productivity of their picking process with the implementation of AR-based smart glasses as a support tool. Learners quickly learned product location, product quantity, and aisle stock by using AR-based smart glasses. The initiative improved DHL’s warehouse performance by up to 25%, improving DHL’s overall productivity.
Read More: DHL Successfully Tests Augmented Reality Application In Warehouses
What is AR-Based Remote Assistance?
AR-based remote assistance combines the interactivity of AR technology with the ability to connect to others in real-time through voice or video calls.
Organizations can use AR-based remote assistance to connect employees and share information from anywhere in the world. Field technicians can connect with their home offices, medical professionals can connect to see patients, and equipment operators can connect to senior technical advisors to help troubleshoot equipment.
Your organization is no longer stalled when on-job SMEs are unavailable, allowing learners to access SMEs easily and preventing delays. This eases logistics and saves your organization valuable time and money.
There are two ways to access AR-based remote assistance:
- Handheld Devices: tablets, smartphones
- Wearable Devices: VR headsets (Oculus, Pico Neo 3), AR-based smart glasses
AR-Based Business Applications
You may be surprised to hear that organizations already use AR-based remote assistance every day. Let’s take a look at practice business applications of AR-based remote assistance.
Connecting Field Technicians To Experts
According to Gartner’s Future of Field Service, more than 50% of field service management deployments will include mobile augmented reality collaboration and knowledge-sharing tools by 2025.
Employees working in the field can use augmented reality technology to access critical information from anywhere they need to be. And now, with AR-based remote assistance, they can connect to experts in real-time, sharing what they see and working collaboratively to solve problems in the field.
Technical Support During Equipment Set-Up Or Troubleshooting
When working with complex or expensive equipment, limiting downtime is key. When you have equipment down, it’s important to safely and efficiently get it up and running.
Employees working on setting up, troubleshooting, and maintaining equipment often have access to documentation and senior employees to share knowledge. But now, with AR-based remote assistance, a single technician can put on smart glasses and have access to equipment documentation, tutorials, diagrams, and even experts at their fingertips. Whether the SME is a senior technician or the equipment manufacturer, your technician on site can share what they see and receive input in real-time.
Is AR-Based Remote Assistance A Good Training Tool?
Consider the ways people learn: by hearing, seeing, and doing; using AR-based remote assistance supports all three.
AR-Based Remote Assistance makes a great performance support tool for your employees. While other learning modalities are better suited for initial training to meet learning objectives, having access to SMEs to assist for just-in-time assistance can help with long-term knowledge retention.
There are several benefits to AR-based remote assistance:
- Giving Instant Access To SME Assistance – Using AR-based remote assistance allows an extra pair of eyes to help the learners with whatever issues they face, completing each complex task step-by-step alongside the SME.
- Cost-Effectiveness – AR-based remote assistance reduces the need to have a senior staff or SMEs on-call or on location at all times.
AR-Based Remote Assistance Vendors
Now that we know what AR-based remote assistance is, let’s see how it’s currently used.
Read More: Top 5 Augmented Reality (AR) Remote Assistance Tools
TeamViewer’s xAssist
TeamViewer’s xAssist uses smart glasses to provide AR-based remote assistance. xAssist is compatible with HoloLens, Google Glass, Sony AR headsets, Vuzix, and Epson. Using smart glasses, xAssist displays the learner’s work-related issue for SMEs, who then walk learners through appropriate steps towards the solution – and an additional bonus is that this makes all assistance hands-free for learners.
Are You Ready To Apply Augmented Reality-Based Remote Assistance To Your Employees?
This article covered AR-based remote assistance and how you can use it for your organization. Are you considering new learning technologies for your program? Feel free to schedule a meeting with us, and we will answer any questions you may have!
