Augmented Reality In the World of Training

This was originally published on eLearning Industry on October 27, 2018.

Augmented Reality in Training: 6 Industries that can Benefit from AR

Apple’s pushing Augmented Reality for basketball training, and we’re not even mad about it.

As reported by GeekWire:

Among the flurry of announcements made at its press event on Wednesday, Apple showed off HomeCourt, a new iPhone app that uses Augmented Reality to track basketball shots. AR tech built into the iPhone—including the new A12 Bionic chip—and Artificial Intelligence technology developed by HomeCourt maker Nex Team can detect a hoop and basketball to measure kinematics, trajectory, release times, and the number of shots made.

Earlier this year, AllenComm explained how Augmented Reality (AR) is breaking out of the entertainment industry. With a “surging market” (Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Samsung, and more have all worked or are working on AR apps and platforms), this tech is becoming more accessible to the world of business. When we wrote our article, we saw it seeping into all kinds of businesses and fully expected it to start showing up more in training. We weren’t expecting basketball training, but we’re not surprised. With the innovative capabilities of AR, it can be used for almost anything.

Here are some industries where we think Augmented Reality in training would be especially beneficial:

1. Fast Food

The scourge of fast food is memorizing the menu. In a perfect world, employees in training would be able to physically assemble or disassemble each sandwich their restaurant offers to learn the recipe. In reality, front-counter and kitchen staff alike cram menu knowledge haphazardly while working, and some will never be entirely certain of what sauces come on that one sandwich. There would be huge benefits to AR apps that would let these employees assemble and dissemble virtual sandwiches while learning information about each ingredient.

2. Airline Customer “Training”

When it comes to getting travelers safely through airport security and to the right terminal, the struggle is real. To help customers overcome the frustrating learning curve of navigating an airport, airlines could consider AR apps that guide customers through the airport based on their airline, terminal, flight number, and so on. The app could also provide some of the more traditional benefits offered by airline apps, like flight status and online check-in.

3. Medical Coding

We mentioned in the previous article that Augmented Reality is helping surgeons hone their craft. AR isn’t just helpful for surgeons, though. One difficult medical job that requires lots of training and experience is medical coding. A mistyped code can end up costing the healthcare organization thousands of dollars and can even result in insurance fraud. Just as experienced surgeons assist inexperienced surgeons through AR, experienced coders can use similar technology to help coders-in-training.

4. Dangerous Work Environments

Something else we mentioned previously is learning to use equipment in dangerous work environments. “Screens and controllers are a thing of a past when you can project an interface directly onto your field of vision and manipulate it with your hands. With AR, learners can operate simulated versions of virtually any machinery from a distance, minimizing the need for employees to interact directly with potentially hazardous equipment.” This technology would hopefully extend beyond training into day-to-day work, but it would be especially useful for novices.

5. Manufacturing

Whether it’s welding, sewing, or painting, keeping direct costs low in any manufacturing job is a big concern. This means trying to reduce mistakes so that material isn’t wasted. AR tech that reminds workers exactly when, where, and how to engage with the raw material would be a huge boon for the industry. AllenComm’s tool, Siteline, is one possible option for such functionality. Siteline creates a 3D replica of an object that can be “viewed from all angles and with hot spots that highlight trouble spots and critical information,” says a Siteline project manager.

6. Education

Education, both formal and informal, is by definition a form of training – and AR can make that training more exciting for everyone involved. Museums already have the right idea about making their exhibits more interactive using AR. With AR, exhibits can provide a BYOD, QR code-driven experience with audio, pictures, video, and additional text for the knowledge-hungry. This technique can also be carried over into formal educational experiences in textbooks and even written homework assignments.

Those are just a few ideas! When it comes to AR, the sky’s the limit. (Or beyond.) What industries do you think would benefit from AR training?