TNA Solutions, a Sydney-based global food processing and packaging firm, has bought a fleet of Microsoft HoloLens 2 headsets to remotely visit customer locations and provide technical support amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it was announced in a statement.
The new kit will allow TNA to serve clients amid COVID-19, which aligns with the firm’s digital transformation goals to integrate its 30 global offices with Office 365 and Dynamics 365.
The news comes as TNA deploys its Azure-based internet of things (IoT) machine learning and edge computing technologies to prevent maintenance issues and decrease equipment downtime.
TNA has also built an Azure-based portal for customers to provide after-sales support, securely view documentation, file service requests, and schedule Teams meetings.
The company has also scheduled further IoT preventative maintenance solutions with customers in Brisbane, with six international clients set to test the new platform ahead of its official launch.
Pravin Singh, Chief Business Transformation Officer for TNA, said the HoloLens 2’s remote assistance and field service capabilities were a “compete game changer”.
He continued, stating the COVID-19 had prompted the measures to move to remote work due to national lockdown and travel restrictions, adding:
“We may have one technician in the field that could be in that country where we’re doing the install, but he may not have the complete knowledge of that equipment. So he can dial into the engineering centre in Sydney or into our manufacturing centres around the world and talk directly with the engineers to implement the machine”
Singh added his company plans to offer HoloLens 2 headsets with Remote Assist to customers to allow TNA experts to guide technicians. Dynamics 365 Field Service and Remote Assist will also remotely provide full servicing history of equipment from clients.
Lee Hickin, Microsoft Australia CTO, said:
“Add in the combination of a modern business applications platform, machine learning and IoT to build a pioneering preventative maintenance service for customers, with the option of a HoloLens 2 to connect them directly to expert technicians in head office and you have a truly ground breaking solution for the industry”
Firms, Organisations Select HoloLens 2
The news comes after Microsoft released its HoloLens 2 Development Edition augmented reality (AR) headsets in December last year, combined with Azure, Unity, and Pixyz capabilities.
Microsoft said in recent statements the four technologies would help “empower” developers to create interactive experiences and design 3D holographic content with things, people, and places.
Australian carrier Qantas also trialled the HoloLens 2 in November 2019 to train engineers without exposure to risk. Headsets included a digital twin of a Boeing 737 flight deck, allowing learners to sit at virtual positions of the captain and first officer to complete checklists and procedures.
Additional clients for the HoloLens 2 include the United States Army, who plans to adopt an Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) version of the headset in September for military personnel to detect combattants, view real-time 3D maps and content, communicate with other soldiers, and other features.
Vancouver-based Nextech, a rising AR firm, has also integrated its HoloX content creation platform on the HoloLens 2 to tap the device’s hand, eye and gesture tracking ahead of its plans to enter the global virtual space race to build the Metaverse.
