On September 7, 2018, CapGemini published a study on the use of immersive technologies, (augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR))) in industry. The study was conducted among 709 major industrial groups (in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Scandinavian countries, the United States, and China), with revenue exceeding $500 million, including 603 groups with uses of immersive technologies currently under evaluation. The aim was to determine the factors that make these technologies work—or not work.
The majority of companies are satisfied
And for good reason: 80% of them reported benefits exceeding their expectations, and 75% were able to quantify improvements of more than 10% in terms of speed, error reduction, profitability, etc. This very positive finding is not limited to ” innovation ” departments or to the POC (proof of concept). Companies that have deployed these technologies on a larger scale are indeed managing to generate more.
The study reveals that 50% of companies that are not currently implementing AR and VR will begin exploring immersive technologies for their business activities over the next three years. This includes, in particular, the use of AR to access remote, real-time expert assistance via a wireless device. VR, for its part, will be used more to train employees. Some 46% of companies believe these technologies will become commonplace in their organisation over the next three years, while 38% think they will do so over the next three to five years.
AR reduces problem-resolution time by 40%
Even though AR is more complex to implement, organisations perceive it as more beneficial than VR, according to CapGemini’s study, which highlights that AR delivers significant productivity gains through streamlined workflows, citing examples such as Porsche technicians who use AR glasses to project step-by-step bulletins and schematic drawings across the entire line, while enabling remote experts to monitor and view operations in real time and provide feedback if necessary. This solution can reduce problem-resolution time by 40%. VR improves efficiency and safety, and helps manage task complexity, thereby increasing productivity. For example, the report notes that VR is used at Airbus to integrate digital mock-ups into production environments, enabling assemblers to access complete 3D models of the aircraft in production. This reduces the time required for inspection from three weeks to just three days!
École des Mines de Saint-Étienne, one of France’s most prestigious engineering schools, aims to train high-level generalist and specialist engineers through a training programme focused on industry-oriented research. The school also supports companies in the industrial transition through its programme Mines Saint-Étienne Tech.
