Page 12 - EngineerIT January 2022

ICT – AUGMENTED REALITY

Augmented reality becomes

actual reality

By Sibongiseni Chili: Product Offer Manager Machine Solutions at Schneider Electric

ugmented reality (AR) was once Development Corporation of South Africa), the global AR/VR (virtual reality) market will see
the stuff of Hollywood fantasies. a 77% compound annual growth rate from 2019 to 2023. When you consider the profound
ARemember Marty McFly’s son impact AR is having on facility operations and maintenance, it’s easy to understand why.
in Back to the Future II sporting a head- First, a quick definition: AR is an interactive 3D experience that combines a view of the
mounted graphical display at the kitchen real world with computer-generated elements incorporating real-time data feeds. When
table? How about the use of AR-based applied to electrical power distribution across a wide range of businesses and industries,
gesture recognition throughout Steven AR has the potential to greatly increase power availability, electrical safety and efficiency.
Spielberg’s Minority Report? Or the Here’s why:
helmet-mounted AR display in Iron Man? • Availability: AR helps organisations optimise operations and maximise continuity for better
Since these films hit the silver screen, productivity and profitability
augmented reality has become actual • Safety: AR helps to reduce the risk of occupational injuries and fatalities
reality, finding its way into data centres, • Efficiency: AR help reduce the total cost of ownership by offering more accessible and
critical care facilities, plant operations effective training
and more. According to the IDC (Industrial
Minimise human error
Human error is the chief cause of downtime, with up to 75% of outages caused by
humans in data centres. Across all businesses, the average cost of downtime per hour
is $260,000, an increase of 60% since 2014. And with the proliferation of technology
in today’s business operations, more planned shutdowns and outages are required for
maintenance, repair or modernisation.

Companies are embracing AR because it is a proven remedy for human error:
• Visually guides the operator step-by-step to eliminate the risk of human error
• Uses exit conditions to ensure a prerequisite is completed before the next step is started
• Ensures operators perform the right action with the right equipment via navigational and
operator guidance, using spatial awareness
• Reduces Mean Time Between Repairs (MTTR) with remote assistance by domain experts,
guiding operators using a head-up display (HUD), laser pointers and virtual pens
• Cross-correlates devices with edge control software to check or confirm the outcomes
of operations
• Minimises planned shutdowns and outages with virtual vision capabilities, allowing
interior views of electrical panels
• Enables quicker and better decision-making with augmented animated system diagrams
• Offers optional voice guidance or alerts; additional layers of data such as condition
Sibongiseni Chili monitoring or voltage presence can offer a cross-check for operators

EngineerIT | January 2022 | 10