Augmented reality is much more than a consumer play. Companies that make large, complex machines and systems – say, a power plant builder, engine manufacturer or wind turbine maker – are implementing industrial applications in assembly, maintenance, repair, training, quality control, monitoring and product development.

Imagine donning a head-mounted display unit and taking a virtual, semi-immersive walk, deep into a manufacturing facility. You see nuanced details, identify problems in the product design and suggest improvements. You can also share this experience with fellow engineers at different physical locations, and manipulate aspects of the virtual tour with a voice command or a gesture.

That AR rendition of a proposed building or power plant might also carry valuable real-time data that are unique to the proposed location – weather, wind speed or adjacent water temperatures.

If the AR is displaying a “digital twin” of a machine already working in the field, you see data in graphical or tabular form emanating from sensors. Design teams use the machine’s field data to optimize the next design iteration. Since these design teams are often dispersed across global locations – by wearing AR lenses, they could all be looking at the same detailed 3D object, rather than staring at a flat, shared PowerPoint slide.

Data visualization tools in the AR world can include data tables, charts and 3D objects embedded in the AR object itself.

Peaxy sees data visualization as an essential next step for data solutions that solve real business problems. Solutions focused on test cell simulation management, design optimization, anomaly detection, warranty-based maintenance plans, condition-based maintenance plans and other applications will be greatly enhanced by the AR experience in the future.