When you think of augmented reality (AR), your first thought might be gaming applications like Pokemon Go. But as Devin Bhushan, CEO and founder of industrial AR software company Squint, explained on a recent episode of the Manufacturing Executive Podcast, this emerging technology is poised to transform how manufacturers train, guide, and optimize their workforce.
“At the most basic level, augmented reality is the concept of overlaying information on top of the camera view,” Bhushan said. “But I would go so far as to say, for the purposes of Squint, internally this is how we talk about augmented reality – it’s that there’s inputs and outputs.”
Those inputs can include the camera view, geo-data, proximity sensors, and user context. The outputs can take the form of text, voice, 3D overlays, or video. Together, they create what Bhushan describes as “an expert in your pocket” – a system that can guide operators through complex tasks with step-by-step instructions, real-time feedback, and analytics to drive continuous improvement.
One powerful example Bhushan provided was a guided workflow for troubleshooting a machine fault code. An operator can simply point their tablet camera at the machine, and Squint’s AR software will recognize the fault code and provide a step-by-step procedure to resolve the issue. The procedure is enhanced with overlaid arrows that guide the operator to the precise location of each task, as well as short video clips demonstrating each action.
Crucially, these guides are not static but are dynamically generated using artificial intelligence. “It’s kind of magical,” Bhushan explained. “You can take Squint and you can record a video of an operator doing that changeover, let’s say… The AI will automatically write that SOP or that standard operating procedure step by step, and it will automatically create what I told you about, which is, you might get a 150-step procedure out of this.”
This generative AI capability dramatically reduces the time and effort required to create and maintain standard operating procedures, which Bhushan says can take an average of eight hours to write from scratch. With Squint, that process can be cut down to just two minutes.
But the benefits of AR on the shop floor go beyond just efficiency. Bhushan envisions a near future in which the technology becomes so seamlessly integrated into operators’ workflows that they don’t even realize they’re using it.
My prediction is that five years from now, you will ask operators, hey, are you using augmented reality? And the answer will be no. And the funny thing is, they will be using it… They’re going to think that they’re actually just using new software that gives them access to things like videos and instructions, and it feels natural.
To get to that point, Squint is focusing on tablet-based AR rather than headsets, which Bhushan believes are not yet practical or safe for industrial settings. But he’s confident that the impact of this technology will be transformative. For manufacturers considering implementing AR, he advises starting with a clear outcome in mind.
“Pick an outcome that you want to be true,” Bhushan said. “Let’s say, I want to improve downtime on a critical set of machines, or I want to reduce the number of third shift stops due to operator error. And then work backwards from that and figure out, what is the most impactful workflow that if someone magically could be provided reference to do this perfectly every time this came up, then it would unlock my business?”
With that perspective, Bhushan believes the ROI of AR will quickly become apparent – and will pave the way for a new era of manufacturing in which augmented workers are the norm, not the exception.
