TeamViewer Adopts AR Headsets Taking Remote Production Machinery Support From Desktop To Reality
The global leader in remote IT support TeamViewer has signalled its shift to augmented reality (AR) having struck a strategic partnership with AR startup Almer.
The Almer Arc headset enables collaboration with remote individuals as if they were physically present and augmentation of the wearer’s environment with relevant information for pointing out objects in reality. Almer is also announcing the launch of Arc 2, it’s latest headset which features a 25MP camera, beamforming microphones, built-in speakers, and a holographic see-through screen with 8-hours battery life. The Almer Arc 2 weighs a mere 138 grams. Thanks to the completely transparent display of the Arc 2, it can be employed in mission critical task and changing environment, while the Vision Pro is for a static interior environment.
This partnership will enable TeamViewer to expand into untapped opportunities with industrial companies. Meanwhile, Almer will be able to scale its operations and advance AR adoption.
Skilled Production Machinery Technicians Remain In Short Supply
“Partnering with Almer was a no-brainer for us, their product and technology stack is head and shoulders ahead of the industry. We see wide scale adoption for the product and immediately in industry. Modern production machines are becoming increasingly complex and expensive, while skilled technicians remain in short supply. Unplanned downtime can be extremely costly, for example in the automotive industry where it can reach up to $22,000 per minute and the experts needed to fix these machines are often not on-site. Remote support via smartphones or tablets has limitations with workers’ hands occupied, information is not in their direct line of sight, and the camera doesn’t follow the worker’s view. As such the move to AR presents TeamViewer an opportunity to support this underserved market” commented Percy Stocker, Senior VP Product Management AR at TeamViewer.
Almer was founded in 2021 by Sebastian Beetschen and Timon Binder. Sebastian was working on the Hololens 2 at Microsoft Research and felt the AR opportunity extended beyond clunky helmet-like apparatus. He felt he could make a more compact, comfortable, and affordable AR device and teamed up with Timon, a former jet fighter pilot, who recognized the potential. Timon brought his experience with AR jet fighter helmets that led to the creation of the Almer Arc headset.
“Our headset is much like a jet fighter visor, mounted directly in front of your eyes, featuring a transparent, see-through screen. The Almer Arc is a lightweight, compact, and easy-to-use AR headset. When a problem arises, the frontline worker takes the Almer Arc and contacts a remote expert, who can see and hear what the worker experiences. The expert identifies the issue, highlights objects, and displays documentation in the worker’s view, simulating a collaborative, in-person experience” commented Sebastian Beetschen, CEO and co-founder of Almer.
Today, Almer has 21 customers, including Switzerland’s largest defense contractor, which uses the Almer Arc to service fighter jets remotely in the US, as well as several international machine manufacturers. Almer is venture backed startup having raised $7.6m to date from strategic investors including engineering giant Stena and manufacturing leaders Helbling among others. The Almer team consists of top talent from the fields of computer vision and microtechnology, from renowned Swiss institutes of technology, ETH and EPFL.
On the launch of Arc 2, Sebastian Beetschen stated: “We have learned a lot on how to make the headset super adaptable and users can set their preferences on how they wear it. Something new entrants like Apple still have to learn. Not only this, Arc 2 comes with an improved wide angle 25MP camera that can see and understand everything that you see and zoom into tiny details as never before. This makes it possible to understand the environment and assist, enabling superhuman capabilities. The cost saving potential of using AR to service all installed machines for the 10 largest tooling-machine manufacturers in DACH alone accounts for £7.9 billion per year.”
The global augmented reality market is projected to grow from $62.75 billion in 2023 to $1,1 trillion 2030, at a CAGR of 50.7%. Within this trend, the market for AR headsets is exponentially increasing over the next few years and is set to hit $120 billion in 2026. Initially, Almer is focusing on the Swiss industry and will soon expand into the neighboring DACH region before going global.
For more information: www.teamviewer.com
