Worker Assistance in Smart Production Environments Using Pervasive Technologies

Abstract

Recent trends towards digitization in the industrial domain are also driving profound socio-technical changes. On the one hand, these technologies enable shorter product lifecycles and servitization, but on the other hand, the increasing technical complexity of the equipment makes its operation and maintenance a challenge for workers. Assistance systems using pervasive technologies can bridge the gap between the abilities of the workers and the demands of handling technical complexity by enriching workplace activities with relevant, context-dependent information. In this paper, we present an application that replaces a conventional, paper-based maintenance manual with digital, Augmented Reality based instructions that are delivered at the appropriate place and time.