Unleashing The Power of The Internet of Things (IoT) with Augmented Reality (AR)

The combination of the internet of things (IoT) and augmented reality (AR) is empowering equipment repair & maintenance, law enforcement and security.

The combination of IoT and AR can enable organizations to not only gather data and generate actionable insights through a network of sensors, but also deliver those insights to the right people at the right time to create maximum impact.

IoT, using its network of smart objects, sensors, and processors, makes processes autonomously responsive by continuously gathering data, analyzing it, and triggering appropriate responses from the concerned entities. These entities could be endpoint actuators that can make changes in a process or people who can be notified to take appropriate actions. An example of this is an IoT-based inventory management system that uses sensors and scanners to monitor the consumption and storage of materials in a manufacturing facility. When the inventory approaches depletion, the IoT system can either place an order with suppliers for replenishment or notify the concerned personnel to do so.

AR is employed by businesses to provide workers the ability to access vital information in an unobtrusive, hands-free manner. An example is the use of AR smart glasses in logistics for helping sort unit employees to find and identify packages efficiently without struggling to read printed tags or use hand-held scanners.

Applications of The Internet of Things (IoT) and Augmented Reality (AR)

The combination of IoT and AR can enhance the responsiveness of IoT systems by delivering the insights generated to the right people at the right time. The delivery of insights to will ensure extremely rapid responsiveness from the systems and ensure that the organization stays agile enough to respond to external changes.

Use Case #1: Equipment Repair and Maintenance

The adoption of predictive maintenance enabled by big data and IoT is already gaining pace, especially in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturers use IoT to continually monitor equipment health and performance, using sensors to identify early signs of breakdown. With historical data as a reference, these systems can recognize trends that might signify a potential machine failure and can notify maintenance personnel to take remedial action. Taking timely action minimizes the unplanned downtime (UDT) of manufacturing plants and maximizes asset utilization. The introduction of AR into this process can make it even more streamlined and efficient. Maintenance personnel equipped with AR smart glasses can visually inspect machinery and gain performance data directly through the glasses. They can even perform complex maintenance and repairs through remote assistance applications to further minimize downtime.

Use Case #2: Law Enforcement and Security

Governments can strengthen their internal security and law enforcement agencies by making the combined use of IoT and AR. Installing IoT-enabled surveillance systems across cities can help law enforcement agencies to monitor public areas and identify potential threats to public safety. Using AR smart glasses to equip patrol officers can ensure they have access to real-time intelligence, which they can use to respond effectively to emergency situations. AR glasses can guide emergency responders to scenes of incidents and can also help them locate suspects. Incorporating machine learning and facial recognition technology can enable police officers to identify suspects through the cameras on their AR glasses.