Super-charging AR with cloud and 5G to solve real-world problems
Super-charging AR with cloud and 5G to solve real-world problems
In a new collaboration between 5G Open Innovation Lab partners, we demonstrated how farmers with broken equipment can instantly virtually connect with an expert to help them fix problems, access manuals and videos through augmented reality -- connected through private standalone networks.
“This AR experience gives our employees more confidence when repairing equipment, as knowing how to fix something step-by-step is half the battle. The second is the amount of time we’re saving since there is zero troubleshooting required.”
Identifying how to solve big problems and unleashing full potential are on the top of most people’s lists with any growing technology. Otherwise, what’s the point? Take augmented reality (AR), where creators enhance parts of a physical world with a computer-generated one. It’s growing dramatically, increasing from $1 billion in 2021 to an estimated $77 billion in 2030, proving it’s no slouch for enabling future experiences.
However, AR solutions demand heavy computing and connectivity power to take on big problems, which is why it’s critical to combine AR – and other new technologies -- with the power of others like private networks and the cloud. This is where the real possibilities come to light, and Amdocs’ work with the 5G Open Innovation Lab is laser focused.
With this in mind, go with me on a trip back to 5G Open Innovation Lab’s Field Lab at Swans Trail Farm in Snohomish, Washington, to see what I mean.
Back to the farm and leveraging the power of augmented reality
You may recall that in a collaboration between 5G Open Innovation Lab partners, including Amdocs, Microsoft, Dell, T-Mobile, VMware and Innov8.ag, we collectively demonstrated the first drone-to-cloud data gathering and analysis that provides farmers with insights about the health of their crops in real-time.
This time around, The Lab tackled the increasing complexity of industrial machinery, coupled with limited technical experts and minimal network connectivity on rural farms. A tractor could be several miles away, and a driver could have no training or skills to fix it. It could take days to get a repair person out there. For some farms at the peak of a planting or harvest, for example, that could have a significant impact on their production and cost them a significant amount of money.
Using a joint solution from Amdocs and Taqtile farmers on the field with broken equipment can instantly virtually connect with an expert to help them fix broken equipment, access manuals and videos through augmented reality. Farmers can see what parts, in what spot, need to be fixed via an overlay on the physical tractor using a HoloLens headset. Taqtile provides the augmented reality software.
Nate Krause, owner and operations manager at Swans Trail Farm, said: “This experience gives our employees more confidence when repairing equipment, as knowing how to fix something step-by-step is half the battle. The second is the amount of time we’re saving since there is zero troubleshooting required.”
Bringing everything together
5G and edge computing provide connectivity, and computing power enables field workings to access real-time sensor data and expert knowledge. A private network is arranged to ensure farmers have consistent connectivity, regardless of how far they are from a traditional wireless tower.
Amdocs Services and Network Orchestration solution allowed this use case to come to life, bringing rapid deployment and complete life-cycle management of 5G, Edge, Cloud and advanced 5G applications. Handling all requirements from the service to the network, the cloud-native, microservices-based and intelligent automation-infused solution aided faster time-to-market and overall operating expenses.
Anthony Goonetilleke, group president of Media, Network and Technology, Amdocs, said, “Solutions for ubiquitous connectivity need to scale vast geographies and rural locations around the world. The opportunity to combine 5G technology, an explosion of connected devices, along with edge computing capabilities will drive a mosaic of innovative solutions that we can’t yet imagine. This demonstration is a great showcase of the art of the possible resulting from the collaboration of a rich partner ecosystem to solve real-world problems.”
This is another example of what is sure to be an exciting ongoing journey of innovations. With the 5G Innovation Lab, Amdocs has invested significantly in developing state-of-the-art 5G use cases around driverless cars, rural connectivity, agriculture, and enterprise. The Lab’s joint effort ensures startups across a broad spectrum of industries have the expertise to build what’s next in edge computing, setting the groundwork for our increasingly connected digital society. We’re also expanding beyond the farm to implement solutions at ports including the Tacoma Tideflats, expanding into new and exciting areas.
We’ll see you back at the farm (and beyond) soon.
Amdocs and the 5G Open Innovation Lab will be showcasing network solutions and innovative experiences at Big 5G Event, May 16-18, 2022. Come see the demo at Amdocs’ 5G Experience Lab in Dallas.
