- Distance and time are fundamental properties
of the universe, but augmented reality
and virtual reality may help us overcome
some of the biggest challenges
that distance and time create for supply chains.
Augmented reality, or AR, adds digital information
to the world around us.
For example, imagine if you had a pair of glasses
that would project information
onto the things that you look at or display instructions
about what you should do.
While augmented reality enhances the way
we experience the world,
virtual reality is about immersing us
into a completely digital world.
Many people are starting
to call this digital world the metaverse.
One of the easiest ways to experience VR
is to use a set of goggles
that project three-dimensional images,
making your brain think that you're somewhere else.
Virtual reality can also be experienced
with images projected onto one or more screens.
A VR cave is a room in which all of the walls
are projection screens,
making it seem like you're immersed in a virtual world.
So how can AR and VR be useful in a supply chain?
Well, that's going to take some imagination.
Let's start with some use cases for augmented reality.
What if an associate working on our loading dock
could look at a truck and instantly see information
about the shipments it was carrying and where it was headed?
Or what if a customer could look at one of our products
and instantly see a list
of all of the available accessories?
When it comes to virtual reality,
I think a lot of the exciting opportunities
are related to simulation modeling.
For example, we can create a VR version of an assembly line
and walk through the entire facility virtually
before investing in building out
the physical infrastructure.
Virtual reality could also be used
to model entire supply chains
and allow us to zoom in
and examine the parts that we need to study more closely.
Another good use case for virtual reality is in training.
Pilots have been using VR flight simulators for years,
but now the technology is being used
to train people who operate other kinds of equipment,
like semi trucks and forklifts and cranes.
It's basically like playing a video game,
except that you're learning
how to operate equipment in the process.
A lot of people get introduced to augmented reality and VR
through video games,
but as these technologies become more common,
they could change our customer's expectations
and create new opportunities to transform our supply chains.