AUGMENTED REALITY

FOR BUSINESS
How to get started and get value out of AR
deployments fast
 Contents

What is Augmented Reality? 3

What Will Augmented 8

Reality Do for You?

How Companies Are Using AR 11

Software and Hardware Today?

Considerations When Starting 14

With Augmented Reality.

2 Title of the book

Chapter 1
What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented reality (or AR for short) is the future of compu8ng. Like all
major paradigm shi=s in technology, such as those of the evolu8on of
the desktop computer or of the cell phone, that future always begins
with the early adop8on of an exci8ng new technology within the
business world. AR is on the same trajectory as those highly successful
technologies. In fact, AR is already being deployed by thought leaders in
a variety of industry ver8cals.

So, how does Augmented Reality work?

AR is best described as the real

world augmented by computer-
generated sensory input. At
Atheer, AR is delivered through
head-mounted displays,
connected both to a phone-sized
computer and to a collaborative
network such that multiple units
and people can interact in
context.

That collaborative network is powered by Atheer’s distinctive software, AiR Suite, which works
together with a growing number of enterprise-ready smartglasses, which are manufactured by Epson,
ODG, Intel/Recon, and Vuzix. In this piece, we aim to describe AR as well as to highlight the potential
for AR to make an immediate difference in the way you conduct business.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 3

AR in the Movies
Imagine Tony Stark’s helmet
from the movie IronMan. That’s
In the case of today’s newest technologies, we have some display space. It neither blocks
great examples to reference in film to illustrate what these the vision nor makes it fully
technologies are and what they do. Specifically, AR experiences immersive; rather, it gives you
exist in two distinct spaces, display space (also known as heads-up some sense for where you are
display) and sphere space. In display space, wherever you look, or provides an analysis of the
there are things tied to your vision. actual picture you’re seeing in
In a real-world context, imagine a doctor performing an your field of vision. Imagine
operation with virtual screens around her allowing her to see the being able to look at a painting
patient’s information. She can be looking at the patient on whom and have it recognized such
she is operating through her clear smartglasses, can look to her that relevant information about
right to see a screen containing the patient’s vitals to her, or can the artist will be displayed
look to her left for the patient’s x-ray report. alongside it.
These screens don’t exist physically, so it’s possible to have
a team of people all with AR smartglasses pulling up just the Insphere space, objects live
personal screens that they need as opposed to a clutter of fixed, around you; they are essentially
“real” screens getting in the way. Imagine the possibilities of this for relative to you. The movie
complex surgeries like heart/lung transplants that require multiple equivalent of this space is
doctors at once in an operating room! Minority Report.
The same could be said about a team of people repairing a
complex piece of machinery or a trader being able to visualize
many points of information on multiple screens at a “virtual trading
desk.”

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 4

Mixed Reality

There is another space that touches on AR but remains

distinct from it for now. It’s called world space, or mixed reality
(MR). Explaining the distinction can be a bit tricky, but it’s
important to understand. The movie equivalent of MR is Star
Wars, specifically the holographic halls in which the Jedi council
appears to be gathered and sitting on chairs in the same space
but aren’t really there, or even when Princess Leia appears from
R2-D2 to plead for Obi-Wan Kenobi’s help. In MR, virtual
objects are intermingled with real objects
Imagine the gaming and entertainment possibilities! MR
always maps your environment in order to populate it with
computer-driven data. Because of that mapping, a present-day
distinction between AR and MR is that MR can fix objects in
your visual field.
For example, let’s say a mechanic is repairing a custom
jet engine.
He is on the ground with the plane in Boston, and he is
using MR technology to collaborate (via our AiR Suite software)
on the repair with the engineer in Germany who originally
designed the engine. The engineer can use MR glasses and
their related visual display field to circle a part that needs
attention. When the mechanic looks away, that circle will remain
around the object and out of the mechanic’s field of vision until
the mechanic looks back at that spot, where the circle will
remain.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 5

 AR technology still allows the
part to be circled in the mechanic’s
visual field, but the circle is tied to the
field of vision, not to the object.
In order to have MR
capabilities, hardware (glasses) and
their attached computer require extra
sensors and a lot more battery power
for constantly mapping the world.
Such hardware is bulkier, more
costly, and has less battery life.
Because constantly mapping the
world and being able to fix objects
often isn’t necessary and because
the benefits of an AR solution are
often what an enterprise needs, AR
and MR hardware is separate for
now.

In the future, though, they are likely to merge as things like battery life improve in MR
technology. Both involve the real world overlaid with information. While AR functions as a floating, see-
through screen that can access information, allow for true collaboration, and more, AR does not
require the same. While AR functions as a floating, see-through screen that can access information,
allow for true collaboration, and more, AR does not require the same constant mapping and fixing of
the real world like MR necessitates.
No matter what solution is best for your company, though, our AiR Suite software works with
both AR and MR applications on both AR and MR head-mounted displays. We also provide ways to
choose the right hardware/software combination for your company’s needs no matter whether AR or
MR is right for you.

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 Virtual Reality

There is another type of “reality” solution, called Virtual

Reality (VR), that is distinct from the AR/MR space. VR is about
traveling or escaping to a different place. As a movie analogy,
think of The Matrix or Avatar; that’s VR.
The power of VR is in the physicality of the experience.
With VR, you can feel like you’re in a roller coaster, or flying
through the air, or falling into a pit; you can do things that are
pretty magical. While high-end VR hardware is just emerging
and will need to evolve, some level of VR can be executed with
mobile technology that already exists, like with Google
Cardboard, so the VR experience is much more accessible for
consumers than AR is at present. It is especially exciting to use
VR for gaming these days. Its entertainment purposes are
boundless! If you are seeking a VR, or virtual reality solution,
Atheer does not offer that, though.

Why?
AR and MR are about being in and engaging with the real
world while using technology to add or to overlay information or
content. This information may be something that enriches an
experience, entertains you, or enhances your productivity. This
is the value proposition to your company for implementing
Atheer’s hardware and/or software. VR is not real-world based.
As such, we find that most enterprises are seeking more
tangible AR/MR solutions that allow them to overlay computer-
driven data onto real-world applications, described in more
detail below.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 7

Chapter 2
What Will Augmented Reality Do for You?

When we started Atheer, we found that rather than trying to provide

maximum impact according to a variety of industry ver8cals, it would be
more relevant to divide our customers’ needs according to the ac8vi8es
that are core to their business environment. To do this, we came up
with an acronym, F.A.S.T., in which F stands for Fix, A for Assemble,
S for Survey, and T for Train.

Equally important to
understanding the use cases
across the board was
understanding that whether we
are dealing with a highly paid
expert repairing an airplane, an
experienced Risk Management
Engineer assessing insurance
risk onsite, or a warehouse
supervisor overseeing quality
assurance, they all require
productivity, speed, and safety. As
well, often remote communication
or collaboration is essential to
their deliverables.

Perhaps the most compelling case for using our smartglasses today is for Fixing or repairing complex,
mission-critical machinery.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 8

 For example, one of our airline customers
faces costs of up to $50,000 per hour when one of
the company’s airplanes is grounded and not in
service because of a mechanical problem. Put
yourself in the shoes of an airplane mechanic trying
to fix an extraordinarily complex, often customized,
airplane. Not only can the mechanic obtain real-time
advice from a remote expert who can see what he
sees, but he also can access maintenance manuals
and schematics while wearing his smartglasses
without ever having to stop working with his hands to
make the needed repair.
Oftentimes, addressing needed repairs
requires experts to physically travel to very remote
places. We heard this, for instance, from a mining
company with operations in Chile that often requires
U.S.-based experts to visit with great travel and
downtime costs.
If a field worker can get a consultation
remotely by simply donning a pair of glasses and
conferencing the expert into the situation through
AiR Suite, we are eliminating the need for onsite
presence and are eliminating the costs associated
with this.
AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS
When you really think about it, the possibilities
for completely re-engineering processes are quite
vast and strong, including for anyone who sells
complex machines that are distributed, like
semiconductors, electronics manufacturing
equipment, or large-scale printers. When costs are
saved on repairing expensive technologies faster,
significant economic benefits will be realized, and
the technologies may become less expensive and
more accessible as a result.
For any application, the biggest and most
immediate advantage of smartglasses that comes to
mind is true hands-free usage.
There are plenty of situations in which holding
a phone for a long time or taking gloves off to
interact with a touchscreen isn’t a practical solution
for workers. The ability to interact through voice,
hand gestures, head motions, and eye movements
provides a whole new level of usability in situations
where a worker’s hands are tied up with tools or are
gloved.
Imagine holding yourself up in a structure
while making a major repair on sensitive equipment,
or imagine a doctor in the middle of open heart
surgery.
In difficult conditions, especially, it’s just not
practical to be using phones or tablets, or even
having to touch the side of the glasses to prompt
access to data that may be needed in real time. True
hands-free, all-conditions usability is the #1 thing
that will drive early adopters to smartglasses.
9
 What’s Next?

DigiCapital’s CEO Tim Merel is calling VR/AR/MR the Fourth Platform Wave, and we at Atheer
agree.
AR is the future of computing. Enterprise companies in Oil and Gas, in Insurance, in the Airline
Industry, in Warehousing, and beyond are utilizing our technologies to make immediate, cost-saving
differences in the way they do business.

Our team at Atheer works

with customers to pilot customized
solutions over 3, 6, or 12 month
periods, and we are confident that,
by the end if not well before, the
potential ROI you will see will be
significant.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 10

Chapter 3
How Companies Are Using Augmented Reality
Software and Hardware Today
As a leader in Augmented Reality (AR) hardware and so=ware
technology, we respond to many inquiries regarding when to deploy AR
in the workplace alongside ques8ons about when ROI from such
implementa8ons will be realized. Many companies already have
deployed AR and have calculated their ROI. This piece discusses some of
these use cases.

There are a lot of great reasons for your company to begin

using AR technology.

Perhaps the most compelling of

these examples come from field
services. Repairing complex,
mission-critical machinery more
effectively yields massive payoffs
for enterprises.

For example, one of our airline

customers faces costs of up to
$50,000 per hour when one of the
company’s airplanes is grounded
and not in service because of a
mechanical problem.

Put yourself in the shoes of an airplane mechanic trying to fix an extraordinarily complex, often
customized, airplane. This is where smartglasses help a great deal with fixing things: the information
that the mechanic needs in order to repair the plane appears literally right in front of his eyes.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 11

 How?

Smartglasses help mechanics fix grounded airplanes in three key ways:

1 If the mechanic needs manuals, documentation, or other information, these

tools are readily available and accessible on virtual screens right in his field
of vision. This helps the mechanic do his job better and faster, and the
information provided can be fully contextual. In the case of Atheer’s
interaction software, information can be accessed and manipulated hands-
free, even while wearing gloves. Gestures made in the air in the visual field
are what enable the wearer of the smartglasses to navigate through virtual
screens of information.

2 The mechanic can use collaboration software such as Atheer’s AiR Suite to
collaborate with an expert in another location. Through his smartglasses, the
mechanic can share what he sees with a remote expert. He then can interact
with the expert, viewing drawings on one of his virtual screens or receiving
specific guidance overlaid onto the area in need of repair. This is the
significant benefit that Augmented Reality delivers: taking something in the
real-world visual field and using computer-aided technology to overlay
information onto it.

3 Step by step instructions can be

established, followed, and navigated
via voice or hand gestures.
Directions can be made richer,
contextual, and conditional based
upon the completion of prior steps.

At $50,000 per hour, using AR

technology saves airlines a
great deal of money.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 12

 Existing technologies, like looking things up
on a laptop, aren’t practical when a mechanic has
his hands full of tools, is wearing gloves, or has to
be in an awkward position. With smartglasses, the
mechanic works smarter, faster, and collaboratively
if needed, reducing expensive ground delays. The
cost-savings as well as quality-control and error
reductions are significant.
Large and immediate cost savings are not
available to airlines alone. We hear similar and even
larger numbers for customers in industries like
utilities, oil & gas, and heavy machinery. When a
transmission line is broken or when an oil rig is not
producing, the cost of downtime can be dramatic,
and so are the savings that smartglasses offer.
For example, addressing needed repairs
oftentimes requires that experts travel to very
remote places. We hear this, for instance, from a
mining company with operations in Chile that often
requires U.S.-based experts to visit with great travel
and downtime costs.
Travel time and physical presence is no
longer an issue when expert consultation involves
any field worker donning a pair of AR smartglasses
and conferencing the expert into the situation
through AiR Suite software.
AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS
The possibilities for completely re-engineering
processes thanks to the capabilities of smartglasses
are momentous.
For instance, think about an all-new approach
to customer support that involves empowering your
customers to do some maintenance with
smartglasses under the supervision of remote
experts. Anyone who sells complex machines that
are distributed, like semiconductors, electronics
manufacturing, construction equipment, or large-
scale printers can reduce costs and improve
customer satisfaction using the technology available
today through such smartglasses. While the focus of
AR right now is in the enterprise arena, its value in
homes will be known soon, too.
These same techniques referenced above for
fixing an airplane easily could apply to repairing a
car or a dishwasher as AR technologies and
smartglasses become more available, lighter and
economical. Even though the cost savings will be
smaller in economic value, they will not be
insignificant, especially when factors like flexibility
and convenience are considered. Can you imagine
never waiting for a repairman again? AR stands to
improve our everyday lives.
The many use cases for smartglasses will
continue to unveil themselves as AR technologies
continue to be adopted at a rapid pace.
It is likely that the biggest upside of AR may
not be about doing jobs quicker and eliminating
trouble, but, rather, about rethinking the way that the
work is done altogether. Instead of having scarce
experts traveling all over the world to fix things,
companies will be able to put people in a central
location and then rely on the customers themselves
or on less-skilled local personnel to do critical, time-
sensitive work.
The expertise of a remote expert will produce
incredible results at a fraction of the cost. This is
why using smartglasses for field services is among
the most valuable use case for AR today.
13
Chapter 4
Considerations When Starting With
Augmented Reality.

Once you have some ideas about how Augmented Reality (AR) can help
your business (e.g., see AR Use Cases), you’ll quickly realize that you
have numerous permuta8ons of hardware and so=ware decisions when
geOng started. Following are some points to consider as you choose
which AR hardware and so=ware to purchase.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 14

 Hardware Considerations:
Monocular vs Binocular

t’s cheaper to get glasses that only project to one eye

(monocular), but you’ll find that creates an unnatural viewing
experience that can lead to fatigue or headaches. It’s also
impossible to provide a 3D experience without projecting to both
eyes (binocular). Of course, you can begin testing some AR
application concepts using tablets or even smartphones.
Recon Jet Pro (monocular)
However, to fully explore and discover the unique potential or
Recon an Intel Company
AR in the workplace, including but not limited to:

1.  Augmenting what you see

2.  Interpreting what you see
3.  Hands free operation
4.  Limitless viewing area (“screen size”)
5.  See-what-I-see collaboration
6.  Gesturing interface (breaking the bounds
of keyboards, mice, and touchscreens)

Therefore, let’s focus on smartglasses (excuse the pun).

If just starting your journey into AR, don’t spend too much. Buy
a cheap pair to try out, right? Well, that leads to some real
shortcomings that may cause you to underestimate the potential
value of AR to your organization.

R-7 Smartglasses System (binocular)

Osterhout Design Group (ODG)

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 15

 User Interaction

Another reason not to skimp is for the user interaction. Inexpensive glasses usually will have
something resembling a touchpad (e.g., a very tiny version on the side of the glasses) or mouse (e.g., a
ring on your finger). These interfaces are usually cumbersome at best, and unusable for many uses (like
drawing a circle around a broken valve).
A microphone is helpful for voice commands or remote collaboration as long as your use is in a quiet
environment. Some inexpensive glasses can recognize very crude hand gestures via their standard
camera. Instead, higher end glasses will have a depth sensor that can enable hand gestures (remember
the move “Minority Report”?).

Using gestures not only

enables field workers with gloves
or doctors with sterile hands, but
using gestures similar to
touchscreen gestures (swipe,
point, etc.), is familiar for users,
which should improve their
acceptance of the device and
perhaps even reduce their learning
curve.
Similarly, you want glasses
that can detect head motion, which
can, for example, enable the user
to view multiple “screens” floating
in the air off to the side, by simply
turning his/her head.

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 Operating System

Smartglasses are computers needing an operating system. By far, Android is the choice for
smartglass manufacturers, and there’s good reason for that. The compact size of wearables like
smartglasses must rely on the component miniaturization driven by smartphones.
The open mobile standard with the most apps is Android. You’ll want to make sure you get a device
that runs standard Android (not a proprietary forked version that may not run the apps you want). Keep in
mind that you’ll want a device that can provide a usable touchscreen compatible interface or your users
won’t be able to use the apps even if they run.

You’ll want to make sure you

get a device that runs standard
Android (not a proprietary forked
version that may not run the apps
you want). Keep in mind that you’ll
want a device that can provide a
usable touchscreen compatible
interface or your users won’t be
able to use the apps even if they
run.
Microsoft Hololens runs a
proprietary version of Windows
that requires custom apps; that’s
why they announce that only 80
apps work. The right Android
smartglass should be able to run
any of millions of Android apps.
And the more existing apps and
tools you leverage without
“reinventing any wheels”, the
faster you can recognize value
from your AR devices.
And the more existing apps
and tools you leverage without
“reinventing any wheels”, the
faster you can recognize value
from your AR devices.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 17

 Enterprise-ready

In business, you may want to consider things like battery life. For example, will the battery last long
enough for a typical work shift? Or peripheral vision — In some environments, it may be safer to have a
wider peripheral vision while wearing the device. Some devices block side vision. What ports does the
device have? You may want to connect headsets, video output, etc.

Extensibility Functionality
Finding software that not only meets
The good thing with software is that you
your current use case needs, but also likely
can do just about anything. The bad part about
future needs is an obvious consideration
software is that you can do just about
anything…if you custom code it which is
expensive (at least from TCO perspective). Integration
Thus, the best of both worlds, if you can find it,
is a product solution that can easily be At some point, you may want to
extended. Look for standard Restful interfaces integrate with backend systems, whether
and the ability to develop add-in functionality. pulling or pushing data (e.g., you may want
Not only does this allow you to customize as to validate barcodes with valid material part

needed without being at the mercy of the numbers). Be sure to ask about capabilities
software vendor, but you can potentially for integrating data in either direction.

leverage other 3rd party add-ins if made

available.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 18

 Software Considerations
What you’ll quickly realize after purchasing glasses is that it doesn’t do much without software. “But
I’ll purchase an Android device with a touchscreen-compatible interface and run millions of existing apps,
even my custom apps.” Sure, and that’s great if you just want to leverage the benefit of hands-free use. But
you are unlikely to augment much reality from Play store apps.
“But I’ll purchase an Android device with a touchscreen-compatible interface and run millions of
existing apps, even my custom apps.” Sure, and that’s great if you just want to leverage the benefit of
hands-free use. But you are unlikely to augment much reality from Play store apps. Often with new
computing devices, the first applications must be custom developed. And no exception, AR already has
several SDKs like Metaio, Vuforia, and Wikitude. Of course, this still means you need to determine which
SDKs will work on your device’s platform, meet the needs of your immediate and future use cases, and fit
in with your organization’s application development standards.

Of course, this still means you need to
determine which SDKs will work on your device’s
platform, meet the needs of your immediate and
future use cases, and fit in with your organization’s
application development standards. Fortunately,
however, there are also a few “out-of-the-box”
software platforms that can address some common
enterprise AR use cases in:
1.  Field service and inspection
2.  Manufacturing and assembly
3.  Logistics and operations
4.  Medical and healthcare
For example, many of the use cases with
demonstrable ROI include providing intelligent,
contextual guidance to personnel out in the field
dealing with complex machinery or situations. Others
include capturing and documenting what the field
person sees and does. Others still often involve
escalation to an expert with “see-what-I-see” video
collaboration. Thus, these software platforms can
provide drag-and-drop creation of contextual taskflows
that can guide a field worker. Others include capturing
and documenting what the field person sees and does.
Others still often involve escalation to an expert with
“see-what-I-see” video collaboration. Thus, these
software platforms can provide drag-and-drop creation
of contextual taskflows that can guide a field worker.
Here are some considerations when comparing which
out-of-the-box” software to choose

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 Deployment Choice

The easiest way to try a solution is if they offer a SaaS offering. In this cloud era, that should be easy
to find. However, if you want access to data or integration to systems behind the firewall, you may want to
ensure the software vendor has an on-premises solution as well. Your business’ preference for OpEx or
CapEx may also be a factor in your deployment choice.

Device Choice Enterprise-Ready

Many of the other points mentioned
Innovative technologies like AR move
herein apply to enterprises. But also consider
quickly. Therefore, look for software that
security and authentication. Can the software
supports multiple devices so you don’t get
register and track devices and users, ideally
locked into one device. Also, for large
tying into your corporate directory?
organizations, it is possible you may have
different devices used for different use cases
throughout your company.
Total Cost of Ownership
As you look ahead, you should keep
an eye on costs, in fact, total cost of
ownership. Beyond licensing or subscription
costs, this includes factors like professional
services to get it installed, working,
integrated, configured, maintained, and
costs of internal skills also needed.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 20

Summary

Unless you have unlimited 8me and money, you probably want to make
choices that will deliver value or test your AR use cases quickly. If you’re
part of an innova8on team discovering technology that might drive LOB
innova8on and have a healthy budget, you can probably purchase one
of each category of device:

1.  one monocular and one binocular

2.  one with a crude user interface and one with high fidelity gestures
3.  one running standard Android and one running Windows (or a closed system)

But if you don’t have the budget to try
“one of each” to fully appreciate the difference,
trying just the cheapest device will probably not
serve you well if you’re truly trying to discover
the possibilities of AR. It might be money well
spent to ensure you buy a device or two high-
end smartglasses that can demonstrate the
revolutionary benefits of AR.
To get value out of those glasses, look for
a software (probably SaaS) off-the-shelf solution
that requires minimal customization to address
your target use case(s). Common examples
include guided Taskflows and “see-what-I-see”
collaboration with experts.
Often, enterprises entering AR will start
with a proof of concept (POC) to test their use
case hypotheses and measure initial ROI.
For the common AR use cases like field
service, inspection, repair, manufacturing,
logistics, assembly, and some medical
healthcare, the ROI is virtually always clear
(e.g., reduced downtime or travel costs,
improved productivity or outcomes, etc.).
Thus, next steps lead to larger pilots
before ultimate production deployments. Enough
large enterprises have experienced sufficient
returns to invest heavily in AR. Augmented
Reality technology is evolving rapidly, so don’t
get stuck in analysis paralysis. Above are some
considerations. Above all, though, it’s best to get
started.

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 21

If you or your team would benefit from talking
through the ways you seek to innovate your
enterprise through AR solutions, or if you have
questions, please let us know. Atheer has a
Customer Success Team that would be glad to
share their insights.

ATHEER, INC. HQ 1975 W El Camino Real #202,

Mountain View, CA 94040

You can reach us at

Phone: 1.650.933.5004
customersuccess@atheerair.com
www.AtheerAiR.com

Delivering Augmented Reality

Enterprise Solutions to Leading Brands
Around the World

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR BUSINESS 22