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Augmented, virtual reality in process automation: A mini series

Aug. 23, 2019
Explore the benefits, challenges and maintenance required for augmented and virtual realities

Look before you leap. Think before you act. These and other pieces of good advice are all about what you can see before you decide what to do.

Lately, there are more input types and data sources coming into everyone's eyeballs that can help human activities, including process control and automation. However, the problem is sorting through new formats like augmented reality (AR) and others, choosing the most suitable, organizing what they're trying to say, and using them to achieve better outcomes.

In the articles that follow, we explore the benefits, challenges and maintenance required for these technologies.

Benefits of AR, VR in process automation

Safety, training, productivity and efficiency are key factors for optimal operations. Thus, technologies that improve these areas are proliferating across industries. Among them, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are gaining traction for their benefits and savings. Read more.

Finding the value of AR, VR in process automation

One of augmented reality's primary advantages is that it can provide data to users within the context of a specific assets or application to: Improve the situational awareness of field workers by understanding what's around them; Deliver knowledge on demand based on relevant information: and Provide live remote assistance, including securing expert input if needed. Read more.

Where and how does AR, VR fit into process automation operations?

Augmented reality (AR) has gotten its first process industry foothold in training and maintenance because they're usually non-critical situations where process personnel can try AR and get familiar with it without risking production hitches or possible safety issues. Read more.

AR, VR, MR: What's the difference?

Plenty of new, old, familiar and semi-understood terms get tossed around in discussions about augmented and related realities. To get observers, developers and potential users on the same page, here are some consensus definitions of the most common terms. Read more. 

How to make AR a reality

There are several essential steps needed to implement augmented, virtual or mixed reality solutions. Individual applications may need others, but here are the basic requirements. Read more.

Augmented and virtual reality resources

Control's monthly guide brings you invaluable industry information to stay up to date on the latest trends and developments. In this iteration, you will find videos and whitepapers related to augmented and virtual reality. Read more. 

Industry training with virtual reality

Stacey Patch of Raymond Corp. about the benefits of virtual reality in training, improving safety and more in this episode of the Manufacturing Tomorrow's Workforce podcast. Read more. 

About the author: Jim Montague
About the Author

Jim Montague | Executive Editor

Jim Montague is executive editor of Control. 

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