Harnessing Augmented Reality to Manage Business Assets

| Products & Solutions

asset details

From vehicles to computer parts, many companies have to track and manage hundreds of assets across the supply chain. Mobile computer vision technology can help you take on this critical process successfully. Mobile computer vision provides enterprises with reliable data capture functionality and helps leverage augmented reality (AR) to fully mobilize asset management efforts—unlocking detailed insights into how resources should be upgraded, replaced or redeployed. By harnessing this technology, your enterprise can collect real-time information on assets in the field and make smarter decisions regarding how they’re utilized—generating greater business value overall.

Logistics and many other types of enterprises worldwide count on Scandit technology for asset management solutions. As a leader in mobile computer vision and machine learning technologies, we provide a proprietary data capture platform that creates and powers mobile applications for asset management—paving the way for more transparent and efficient supply chains. Today, we’d like to discuss how your logistics team can leverage augmented reality for business to more effectively manage—and pull value from—its business assets.

What Is Augmented Reality?

Augmented reality is a technology that applies computer-generated sounds, images, or other assets on our view of the real world—with the intention to assist, inform or simply engage. AR has gained major traction in recent years thanks to its capacity to create more immersive entertainment experiences via interactive 3D objects, including Pokémon Go and Snapchat. What many don’t realize is that augmented reality supports more efficient and informed business practices as well.

Augmented reality for business helps streamline important processes critical to managing the supply chain successfully. For example, warehouse staff can use AR-enabled smart devices to scan multiple package barcodes much faster than traditional scanners—making shipping and receiving tasks significantly easier and more accurate. Similarly, delivery staff can use AR to create logistics solutions that provide instant proof of delivery functionality, enabling the documentation of damaged or missing shipments in real time, and bringing greater transparency to delivery workflows.

AR in Enterprise Asset Management

Perhaps the most exciting application of augmented reality for business is asset management. Mobile computer vision-enabled smart devices with AR can run asset management apps that make tracking equipment and enforcing maintenance cycles much easier. With a single tap on their device screen, employees can use an AR-enabled asset management app to scan an asset’s barcode and instantly receive detailed information on its status and history via intuitive on-screen displays. This information can also be updated in real time, even out in the field, fostering better enterprise-wide communication.

With a mobile asset management app, your team can easily track, review and maintain company resources using AR displays—boosting worker productivity and asset uptime in the process. Moreover, an AR-enabled asset management app allows for faster and more consistent quality assurance measures, maximizing customer satisfaction. In short, if your enterprise is grappling with coordinating its resources efficiently, an AR-enabled asset management app is an excellent place to start.

AR-Enabled Devices for Asset Management

Logistics enterprises often use AR-enabled wearable devices for asset management. Wearables are effectively smart glasses equipped with cameras, screens, and/or microphones, such as Google Glass and can be an integral part of logistics solutions. With these devices, users can process AR imagery via the lens pieces—enabling intuitive, hands-free operation.

While still a fledgling technology, the future looks promising for wearables from the perspective of asset management. For example, the current generation of smart glasses implement 3D depth sensors, enabling users to physically alter AR content at will. This would allow logistics staff to more intuitively organize data when analyzing multiple assets—all while leaving their hands free to complete other tasks or carry items.

Today, smartphones are the most cost-effective devices available to perform mobile asset management. Nearly every employee uses a personal smartphone—making enterprise-wide adoption of an asset management app easier and more economical. In fact, many logistics companies implement BYOD (bring your own device) policies to further reduce costs and support smoother integration.

Mobile Data Capture Platforms for Mobile Asset Management

Now that you have a solid understanding of the value augmented reality for business can bring to enterprise asset management, let’s talk through the technology you’ll need to develop and implement this solution. Performance and versatility are the two key factors to consider when choosing a mobile data capture platform. That’s why leading logistics companies work with Scandit. The Scandit Barcode Scanner SDK—is built on proprietary computer vision and augmented reality technology, bringing unmatched capture performance across a variety of devices and operating systems. From wearables to smartphones and tablets, the Barcode Scanner SDK transforms almost any smart device into an enterprise-grade mobile data capture tool—making it one of the most flexible mobile computer vision technologies available for logistics solutions.

The Scandit Barcode Scanner SDK brings superior performance to any asset management app, combining high scanning speeds with unmatched accuracy. Barcode Scanner SDK-powered apps scan even the most challenging barcodes—in poor lighting conditions and glare to warped surfaced and damaged codes. This is particularly useful in asset management, where equipment can be damaged or difficult to read in the field. Barcode Scanner SDK-powered apps can scan blurry codes from any angle and a wide range of distances, bringing unrivaled consistency to your mobile data capture workflows.

Ready to see the value the Scandit SDK can bring to your enterprise firsthand? Then check out our demo apps. See how Scandit supports a range of 1D and 2D code types and utilize our latest computer vision technology. Our demo apps enable your team to test the full power of the Scandit SDK and decide whether it’s the right choice for your enterprise.

Make Asset Management Easy With Scandit

To learn more about Scandit and our AR-enabled solutions for mobile asset management, be sure to contact us today. Our team would be happy to walk you through the benefits of augmented reality for business—and how our innovative logistics solutions can give you an edge over the competition. You can also reach out to us for more detailed information on how to manage solutions for asset tracking and optimization. We’re here to help.