It has become apparent as the virtual reality (VR) field has grown that videogames would only be one small part of the sector, and that applications for business, education and industry would make up a much larger proportion of the applications for VR, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). Accordingly HoloLens is being applied to the function of property and facilities management.
The HoloLens is forming part of a pilot program between Microsoft and Trimble that will allow corporate real estate owners and facilities management to try out the new technology and see how it will benefit from functions such as visualisation of maintenance workflows, the overlay of data relevant to physical objects and building information modelling. Brookfield GIS is one of the first companies to apply the technology with their Building Digital Workplace Virtual Lab.
“We are excited to be collaborating with Brookfield GIS to explore technologies that will profoundly impact the future of the workplace,” said David George, general manager of Trimble’s Real Estate and Workplace Solutions. “The Building Digital Workplace Virtual Lab is an innovative way to work closely with clients to test new technologies such as the HoloLens in real-life scenarios for facilities and property management. This approach provides a collaborative forum that brings diverse thinking and a holistic approach to solving our clients’ operational challenges.
“The rapid expansion and uptake of digital and smart workplace solutions means that employees are no longer defined by a purely physical space, and can instead function as agile teams with a digital readiness that was not previously possible,” said Jon McCormick, president and managing director Brookfield GIS Asia Pacific. “Together with Trimble, we have the opportunity to explore intelligent solutions for the workplaces of the future.”
Other companies such as Vuzix and its business partners are also looking at applying VR/AR technology to industry, such as for stock management and quality control.
VRFocus will bring you further news on the HoloLens and other industry applications for VR and AR.