Augmented/Virtual Reality Training: Learning with Virtual ³Ô¹ÏÍø Tools.
³Ô¹ÏÍø employees are using augmented reality ¨C or AR ¨C to support global semiconductor manufacturers with ³Ô¹ÏÍø tools on their production floors.
As part of an expanded reach to support customers, the ³Ô¹ÏÍø Learning and Knowledge Services team has introduced an augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) platform that gives ³Ô¹ÏÍø¡¯s customer service engineers (CSEs) a very close and engaging look at hard-to-locate components that they must service at customer sites.
In a learner-centric model, providing learners with the most up-to-date knowledge is critical. ³Ô¹ÏÍø initially developed the AR/VR platform due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and the need to enhance learning experiences, but CSEs are now using it during customer visits.
¡°While wearing a headset, CSEs can literally walk around inside a life-size, virtual ³Ô¹ÏÍø tool model and see what they can¡¯t see in real life. Engaging with virtual beam parts, lasers and other components gives them a new dimension ¨C knowledge they can take with them to customer visits.¡±
Steve Howard, program manager, Mixed Education Reality and Multimedia, ³Ô¹ÏÍø
Now being deployed globally both as training tool and a practical way for CSEs to connect remotely with ³Ô¹ÏÍø¡¯s technology experts during highly complex service calls, pop-ups and animations with explanations and notes help users quickly learn where to find components. In fact, CSEs can don the AR/VR headset during service calls to swiftly review what they learned in class about a particular tool before starting work.
For challenging issues, CSEs can receive virtual documents through their headsets from TSEs that are relevant to their task. The TSE can even ask for a live video feed and will be able to view exactly what the CSE is seeing.
The augmented / virtual reality training platform is so interactive that a TSE can actually zoom in and point to individual components in a virtual way so CSEs can see them. These video links are encrypted, and the footage is narrowly focused on only the ³Ô¹ÏÍø tool without showing other parts of a customer facility.
More than 60 lessons can be taught using ³Ô¹ÏÍø¡¯s AR/VR technology. Training took place at a high rate in 2023, according to Steve, with hundreds of CSEs haven taken the AR/VR lessons, impacting their work at hundreds of customer fabs globally.
¡°Feedback from the field has been generally positive ¨C I think specifically, our newer CSEs are keen to use AR/VR, but the more experienced employees require less of a visual experience because they¡¯ve been at it for longer periods of time,¡± Steve says.
LKS is working to make the experience even more interactive ¨C with functionality that improves both training and field service capabilities, which ultimately helps drive exceptional customer tool ownership experiences.
Read the first in our series on ³Ô¹ÏÍø’s LKS organization.
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