he Covid-19 pandemic has had a monumental impact on the world we know, and when the virus grounded planes around the globe, Swiss food giant Nestle, needed to overcome the barriers and establish how to keep their 400 factories around the world running efficiently. Nestle leaned on a futuristic technology, which they had previously only used as a backup; augmented reality (AR).
The potential scenarios in which AR can be used are endless, it can offer remote training and technical support, either via a smartphone, tablet device or wearables such as AR glasses which project 3D imaging similar to that of Google Street View.
Nestle used AR to assist remote teams to help complete a new beverage factory in Thailand, amazingly seven weeks ahead of schedule, Nestle also used AR to test the new KitKat confectionery molds in absentia and commission a new pet-food production line in the US, Nestle plans to expand the AR technology across the company.
When speaking about the utilisation of AR technology, Nestle’s Head of Product and Technology Development, Thomas Hauser stated:
“Today we understand the full potential of the positive impact of the crisis as well… We enjoy a higher level of efficiency, speed and a reduced impact on the environment.”
Nestle aren't the only company using AR to combat the difficult situations dealt by Covid-19, appliance makers Electrolux and Royal Philips have also jumped on the bandwagon to see the benefits that AR can bring to their companies.
Electrolux has used AR to cope with not being able to install equipment that it shipped to North and Latin America, meanwhile, Philips relied on AR technology to urgently expand it’s ventilator capacity to cope with a surge in critically ill Covid-19 patients needing help with breathing.
In an effort to set up additional production lines, Phillips used AR to remotely connect to different sites to help train workers and share knowledge, removing the need to travel and increase the risk of catching Covid-19. Part of that effort also included a focus on AI, in an attempt to detect how patients are, on the basis of data analytics. The AI technology was able to help forecast whether a patient was falling into a delirium or into sepsis, and what help they require.
When asked about AR and the Covid-19 pandemic, Philips Chief Executive Officer, Frans Van Houten commented:
“You see a rapid integration of virtual reality technologies… The whole world will see an acceleration in the adoption of informatics.”
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