A Boston-based light rail network would be the first to put a type of specialized glasses in place that will help field mechanics solve technical problems much like their white collar bosses. This glasses would eliminate the need for experts to physically be at the repair site, cutting travel costs, and saving time.
The introduction of this technology in the automobile sector marks a shift in the marketing strategy of the developers of AR glasses who appear to be now focusing on businesses rather than consumers.
The automobile and locomotive industry suffer from a major stumbling block in their supply chain: delays caused by the lack of communication between mechanics and engineers with regards to maintenance and repair. While mechanics have direct access to the exact vehicles that require repair, they need to communicate with engineers or a team of experts who then send instructions after evaluating the extent of damage and the necessary steps to be taken.
The Keolis Commuter Rail network in Boston is one of the first to test the AR goggles this month. The glasses allow a live streaming of what ground staff is looking at to experts. The glasses are developed by Vuzix and operate on a platform created by AMA XpertEye .
Armed with Augmented Reality (AR) goggles, staff in the automobile industry can now analyze and share data with their peers in real-time and receive feedback and instructions from senior staff. This means there would be no more delays or interruptions in the process of fixing a minor defect that would otherwise leave train services suspended for days or have a bus parked in a workshop for months.
With the introduction of this augmented vision technology, the company hopes to not only save time but also spare technical experts the need to have to physically travel to the train to troubleshoot issues. Now all they need to do is view the problems on a screen and send instructions to field mechanics.
While companies are yet to widely adopt the glasses, experts predict that a revolution is on its way in the automobile sector as AR glasses can be used in remote maintenance, live monitoring, as well as staff training.