Wishing Everyone a Bright New Year
AR in the Pursuit of Learning
Today we are increasingly seeing the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) in various sectors and industries. The technology is advancing, along with AR enabled devices. Many manufacturers of mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones are using AR solutions to increase the value proposition of these devices and enhance the user experience. This coupled with AR software development kits for easier development and creation of AR apps and experiences and growing commercial use of AR is triggering fresh and innovative ideas on how to use AR, including in learning.
Technology has revolutionized teaching and learning—whereby lectures, seminars and classes no longer have to be in a confined physical space. E-learning has been around for sometime, with businesses adopting e-learning in the early 2000’s and with the explosion of social media and online learning around 2010. But we could say that e-learning, virtual learning or distance learning experiences have been a two-dimensional or flat experience. Now imagine the use of AR that provides an immersive and three-dimensional experience that can inspire creativity and spark imagination. In short, AR offers tremendous possibilities to redefine e-learning.
AR coupled with e-learning can greatly increase learner engagement by letting learners participate actively and authentically with the learning content, versus being a passive recipient of information. Imagine—through the use of AR—geometry students being able to check out 3D geometric forms from multiple perspectives and where they can rotate the shapes and view them from the inside. Imagine a technology that can help to teach challenging concepts in biology or math and to innovatively teach about different cultures and places in the world. AR can help learners enhance and manage their own learning, throughout the active interactions with the real and digital environments. Students can easily manage their own learning and change objects which are not real in an augmented environment in order to obtain and acquire understanding and knowledge.
Traditional methods of education as we know it are becoming a thing of the past. They are becoming increasingly digitized, and being driven by technology innovations. In fact, EdTech, the education technology industry, per a study by EdTechXGloba, is expected to reach $252 billion by this year. And a significant trend is the use of AR, with more than 1 billion users expected to join the trend in 2020 —opening opportunities for educational institutions and businesses.
And top eLearning stats from the eLearning Industry reinforce the opportunity for eLearning providers and platforms in the Global eLearning Market, which they estimate to reach $325 Billion by 2025. Other notable stats include:
· 65% Of US Faculty Support Open Educational Resources
· 43% Of US College Students Find Digital Learning Technologies “Extremely Helpful”
· 67% Of Organizations Offer Mobile Learning
If you are working in EdTech or a user of e-Learning platforms and tools using AR, we invite you to share your experiences, insights and predictions for AR in learning.
Assembly Required. Show it with AR.
Think about how many times you have bought something you had to assemble—furniture, a BBQ grill and kids’ toys—and the frustration of using the provided printed instructions. Think about the times you decided to go the DIY route to fix your dryer, build that shed, install your own thermostat, do some landscaping, etc., and needed real-time help. After some time spent with written instructions and users manuals—and even maybe a phone call to an 800 number, we fire up our laptops and more often use our mobile devices as we turn to online videos for help. A bit better than the written instructions, but not fully or always helpful.
According to a TechSee survey about self-installation, complexity is a real barrier to DIY-ers. 31% of consumers reported having to give up mid-process and contact a customer service agent for assistance after failing to self-install successfully. Baby Boomers are even more challenged by self-installation, with a telling 87% reporting that they did not find the process easy.
Enter Augmented Reality (AR)—the ability to present the real-world, overlayed with digital information. While some people think of AR as a technology for games and enhanced shopping experiences, its practical applications go well beyond these, and a variety of companies are using AR to enhance their customers’ experiences (CX) along the full customer journey—including to how to put something together or install a product. Assembly with AR is an application that can use a virtual 3D model (a mathematical representation of something three dimensional) and combines it with AR for use in a real live environment using smartphones to help many of us who are challenged with the provided assembly instructions.
By turning to an AR assembly or instructions solution—an AR guide can provide superimposed instructions on mobile phones. This video representation of the physical product (in 3D) can be shown with step-by-step assembly instructions and helpful tips. It can overlay the product—or pieces of the product—with animation that simulates and clarifies the self-assembly process.
AR provides an effective digital interface that displays the content visually during initial setup, configuration, troubleshooting, regular maintenance or for demonstration of proper usage. It delivers an immersive experience, enabling the user to feel self-reliant, empowered and in control, translating directly into a positive CX.
AR is poised to serve as a key technology to improve consumer-product engagement, and forward-thinking companies that are looking to go to the next level of customer service and engagement and customer loyalty are exploring and starting to use AR to enhance their full CX. If you are using AR for your CX, we invite you to share your story.
Brainwaive to Lead Security Session at AREA and DMDII Workshop
Brainwaive will be leading the Security Session at the AREA and DMDII (Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute) Workshop on the future of Augmented Reality (AR) in the industrial setting, to be held 7-8 February in Chicago. The event provides an opportunity for manufacturers and AR providers to openly discuss the unique challenges and applications of AR technology in an industrial setting and will feature a showcase of cutting-edge AR technology in addition to speakers, a panel discussion on change management led by AREA, and interactive sessions on AR safety led by Boeing and security led by Brainwave LLC.
Participants also will review and discuss the new “Augmented Reality Statements of Need” which can serve as blueprints for companies looking to make investments in this area. The current statements of needs have been adapted from the initial hardware and software functional requirements developed and presented at the 2017 AR Workshop by Lockheed Martin, Procter & Gamble, and Caterpillar, which was covered in Industry Week.
Tony Hodgson, Bob LaBelle and Frank Cohee will facilitate the session that will frame the AR security challenge in the enterprise and provide in-depth insight and perspective on the current state of AR security. Through an interactive dialogue with participants, this session will explore the challenges and identify ideas that can help enable businesses address and enhance their AR security and deal with complex and important data security issues in their project planning, speeding funding and deployments and improving the business impact of their programs.
For additional information or to register for this event, please complete this form. Registration deadline is February 2, 2018.
Brainwaive to Chair the AREA Security Committee
The Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance (AREA) has selected Brainwaive to chair its new Security Committee. AREA is the only global member-based organization dedicated to widespread adoption of interoperable AR-enabled enterprise systems.
“It is an honor to chair the AREA Security Committee,” says Tony Hodgson, Brainwaive CEO. “AR in the enterprise provides great opportunity to companies for increased efficiencies, increased safety and innovation, but along with these tremendous benefits comes increased concern about security threats to the enterprise, its customers and partners. Security in the enterprise and addressing and mitigating those risks is the focus, expertise and passion of Brainwaive. We look forward to working with AREA and alongside members of the Security Committee to address these challenges.”
The AREA Security Committee will focus on current and anticipated future security risks associated with the use of AR enabled wearable and mobile devices in enterprise environments. Under its charter it will identify, classify and prioritize known and anticipated security risks aligned with the the AREA Security Protocol; develop and disseminate security mitigation recommendations and best practices to enterprises, device manufacturers, systems integrators, operators and organizations overseeing enterprise security; identify education and training programs for capacity building and skill development to enterprises, device manufacturers, systems integrators, operators and organizations overseeing enterprise security; and propose research projects and programs to document, inform and increase awareness of security risk and risk mitigation techniques and measures.
Visit the AREA website to learn more and to become a member.
Brainwaive Joins AREA
Brainwaive is pleased to announce that it has joined the Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance (AREA) to work with the AREA members to help achieve greater operational efficiency through the smooth introduction and widespread adoption of interoperable AR-assisted enterprise systems. AREA is the only global member-based organization dedicated to widespread adoption of interoperable AR-enabled enterprise systems.
“We are excited to work with AREA and its members to reduce barriers to AR adoption and use across industries. Brainwaive, with its expertise in security and immersive technologies, looks forward to collaborating with AREA members to help companies understand how AR can benefit their business and impact their efficiencies and competitive advantage, safely and securely,” says Tony Hodgson, Brainwaive CEO.
AR, VR and emerging mobile technologies in the enterprise have the potential to transform business across markets. But these technologies also open new, unique and significant threat vectors and potentials to the enterprise. AR can result in significant disruptions to safety, privacy, finance and operations. With AR’s market advances, addressing the security risks is becoming more pressing. AR solution vendors, as well as enterprises deploying those solutions, must anticipate and directly address the security risks that this technology can introduce, as exploitation of AR systems can have very serious implications.
Organizations around the world are exploring, finding and deploying ways to improve productivity, quality and safety with AR. The use of AR is appealing and the movement towards its use is well underway. But there are a range of questions that need to be addressed, including the implications of bad actors intentionally corrupting AR interfaces or procedures. AR devices represent doorways through which bad actors can use surveillance, infiltrate and potentially commandeer and misdirect critical resources and functions. Security on enterprise AR projects and use is critical as AR interfaces or procedures open up new, unique and significant threat potential to enterprise assets. In these complex early days, many enterprises may not have the expertise or tools to address the issues and navigate the landscape so that they can ensure the security of their systems and data.
Brainwaive will contribute to AREA’s efforts to help enterprises maximize the impact of AR by providing up-to-date resources and neutral, reliable guidance that make the path to AR adoption surer, shorter and smoother.