Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the world was forced to embrace the new lifestyle of Social Distancing. Over the past few months, various forms of social distancing like complete and partial lockdowns, restricted attendance, etc. have come into play. To ensure connectivity during lockdown scenarios, the workforce and the learning community have been forced to take up remote work and online classes. Though this trend had been picking up at a snail's pace in the recent decade, it took the Covid-19 pandemic, sadly, to thrust this in top gear to help the general public find their place in a dystopian setup. Changing a Supply-Chain Management model overnight is impossible and can bring a business to a halt. As we look at Technology to rescue us, one such promising field is Augmented Reality which works by superimposing information on objects.
Augmented Reality for Enterprise
Today's enterprises operate in highly complex, diverse, and dynamic environments. The enterprise sector is highly dependent on cost optimization which can happen only via technological disruption. Yesterday's disruption becomes today's optimal process as it gets streamlined and mainstream acceptance. Augmented Reality is a fast-growing segment within the Extended Reality technology stream. As physical contact is minimized, it provides abundant scope for professionals to work together remotely and maintain social distancing during the process.
Impact of Covid-19 on Business and Society
Here are some adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Restrained ability to travel places and connect with people face-to-face
- Inability to gather in groups due to the acute need to maintain social distancing
- Reduced staff in offices as a result of illness or having to follow a work-from-home pattern during lockdown
- Lack of availability of professional guides or teachers to impart education in person using the traditional model of face-to-face learning
- Broken supply chain management models which bring commerce to a grinding halt
- Adverse timelines due to social distancing result in using health accessories or apparatus like gloves, sanitizers, and increased costs in maintaining hygiene
To get over such limitations of cost, time, and space, Augmented Reality can be utilized effectively in the following situations:
Use cases of Augmented Reality during Covid-19
1. Remote assistance using Augmented Reality
While users may not be available in person, skilled professionals can use Augmented Reality and literally see through the eyes of the other engineer or field staff. Solutions like VirtuAssist from HoloPundits enable the users to even add annotations that are augmented onto the real world from a remote location. This enables optimal collaboration between any expert and a person who needs assistance at the other end.
2. Medical Training using Augmented Reality
Augmented reality can be used by medical professionals to hasten their learning curve at a minimal cost while maintaining social distancing. One classic example is that of medical workers having to upskill themselves to take on the Covid-19 crisis. By using Augmented Reality, medical professionals can get access to highly effective training methodologies which will reduce the time involved in learning about new equipment and testing procedures.
3. Sales and Marketing
Augmented Reality is also a very powerful sales and marketing tool and is worth its place in any tech-savvy marketeer. Since shoppers cannot travel physically during the pandemic, organizations can resort to using GeoAR and target potential audience by offering augmented versions of their website and thus promote their online traffic and eCommerce. With more mobiles supporting Augmented Reality, this is a new trend waiting to be capitalized upon by today's marketers and business owners.
Connect with HoloPundits today to learn about our custom Augmented Reality solutions for your needs.
