The Role of Augmented Reality in Maintenance
Technologies such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence have a major role to play in manufacturing maintenance. In an era defined by rapid technological evolution and global labour shortages, industries face unprecedented challenges when it comes to service and maintenance. The energy landscape, in particular, has seen dramatic shifts, with distribution networks more complex than ever, plus uptime performance and system reliability an increasing priority across many different industry sectors.
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Innovative Solutions for Skills Gaps
It’s in this dynamic environment that the convergence of augmented reality (AR) and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) emerges as a beacon of hope, offering innovative solutions to bridge the widening skills and knowledge gaps within organizations. As ABB Electrification Service’s Global Product Manager for Service 4.0, I’ve witnessed firsthand how AR and generative AI can revolutionize service and maintenance, particularly in the energy sector. Field technicians and engineers, tasked with troubleshooting issues across a diverse spectrum of infrastructure components, often grapple with the complexities of product terminology and equipment from multiple manufacturers.
Benefits of Immersive Maintenance Guides
Immersive maintenance guides, powered by AR technology and remote assistance, have emerged as a lifeline for organizations navigating these complexities. Unlike virtual reality (VR), which immerses users in a computer-generated environment, augmented reality overlays digital information onto the physical world. This approach has delivered substantial time and cost savings, as well as reductions in carbon footprint. For example, the possibility to provide remote support like this is a big jump in the direction of sustainability, as it allows savings of approximately 332 tons of CO2 emissions per year by reducing up to a third of customer site visits by ABB field service engineers.
Advancements in Cognitive Technology
However, as with all technology, it doesn’t stand still. We are now seeing the integration of cognitive technologies such as chatbots, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and intent recognition, which is taking this solution to new heights. The Service Assist mobile app from ABB is among the technologies that empower customers to self-serve or access remote assistance for electrification products, enhancing productivity and efficiency. This app leverages the ABB-e virtual assistant, which harnesses voice control and intent recognition to access augmented reality immersive guides, schedule appointments for on-site or remote services, and consolidate relevant documentation—all within a single digital platform.
Enhanced Support for Field Operators
Especially for the younger generation of field operators, this augmented assistant offers invaluable support, tailored to their installed base and presented in familiar electrification network terminology. Plus, they no longer have to stop and browse documents in the field; they can simply make a request by voice or by typing it in a chat box. When layered with AR technology, it brings operational information to life by superimposing situation-specific data and images onto the user’s real-world environment, creating an immersive augmented reality experience. The result is swift and easy-to-follow operation and troubleshooting guides, presented in an interactive and practical manner. In essence, AR excels at visualization, instruction, and interaction.
Real-Time Guidance and Support
Furthermore, users can request a support session through RAISE remote assistance, which provides real-time guidance where an ABB service specialist can place AR instructions in the operator’s field of view, allowing visual information to enhance voice instructions. This covers repairs and troubleshooting, maintenance support, technical information on equipment operation, spare parts identification, monitoring and diagnostic analysis, plus installation and commissioning—and tangibly reduces repair and maintenance time.
Agility in Problem Resolution
All of this adds up to accelerated support and problem resolution, and this agility in resolving issues is paramount, particularly for mission-critical systems like data centres or hospital power systems. Advanced digitalization is reshaping customer interactions, streamlining maintenance processes, and enhancing uptime and efficiency. The objective is clear: optimizing the availability, reliability, and profitability of essential electrical assets while providing cost-effective solutions to bolster business continuity. Moreover, interactive and immersive technologies elevate safety by providing real-time risk awareness to those operating in close proximity to energised equipment.
Integrating AI for Future Advancements
As technology continues to advance, we’re exploring the integration of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT into our digital assistant. This integration, via AI-based algorithms, aims to deliver comprehensive answers to written or spoken questions, but moving beyond pre-designed responses and in a more automated and smart way. Generative technology will also assist service specialists in drawing up formal reports after their customer visits. In this case, AI will help not only in generating content and ensuring a standardized format of the document, but also in classifying and storing data for future use.
The Future of Augmented Reality in Service
Last, but certainly not least, cutting-edge devices like Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest 3 headsets hold the potential to inject Industry 5.0 dimensions into the hands-free AR experience. In conclusion, the marriage of augmented reality and generative AI is not merely a technological innovation; it’s a permanent shift in how we approach service and maintenance challenges. By harnessing these immersive, situation-specific support systems, industries can navigate the complexities of the modern world with confidence, resilience, and efficiency, while taking strides towards sustainability goals. The future of service and maintenance has arrived, and augmented reality is poised to reshape industries in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago.
Anna Mazzoleni is Global Product Manager for ABB Electrification Service. Based in Italy, she is responsible for driving the digital transformation of servicing through extended reality technology, which combines real and virtual environments with human and machine interactions to provide a faster, more efficient and more sustainable service support.
