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AR aids machinery maintenance
By PLANT STAFF
Industry Manufacturing augmented reality manufacturing social distancing TechnologyConnects technicians with offsite specialists.
![](https://www.plant.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/REFLEKTVideoCall-630x420.jpg)
Real objects enhanced.
PHOTO: RE’FLEKT
It’s hard to say to what extent social distancing will continue in plants post COVID-19, but augmented reality (AR) is one way to bring technicians and specialists together without having them both on site.
With this technology, real objects are enhanced by computer-generated information.
REFLEKT Remote from RE’FLEKT, a provider of AR tech based in Sunnyvale, Calif., connects technicians engaged in machine maintenance on site with support specialists offsite via video or chat, channelled in real time through a smart phone, tablet or data glasses.
It draws steps or provides visual instructions, and there’s a global database available of issues already solved. Animations and digital overlays are also possible.
Integrated analysis tools show the user all previous incident data, and administration data can be collected for export.
This article originally appeared in PLANT Magazine’s May-June 2020 print issue.