I need to explore a tech solution to a problem. Need to conduct a ‘site visit’ in Canada to review a machine that we’re strapping a piece of our equipment to. Need to understand the ‘space’ it’s going to occupy, power requirements etc. Drawings will only help so much – really need an holistic view.

Our Sales rep will be on site, with our local engineer, but our main engineer will be in the UK.

I need a way for the chap in the UK to see the environment over there. My dumb-ass solution was to have a video call / facetime, but I’ve got people suggesting we need some sort of VR/goggle/camera solution.

What solutions are out there for this?

Ta

The iPad Pro and I think iPhone 12 Pro onwards have LiDAR scanners which can build up a 3d picture of a room. I wonder if you could use that somehow?

Either just a FaceTime call, or if you need more than that pay someone that knows how to LiDAR scan it for you, then the engineer can explore that, take measurements etc.

(Source: I was in the subsea survey tech/services space which is all about engineers needing a good look at places they can’t go!)

When I say LiDAR, I mean proper survey kit, a reigl/Leica/faro etc.

Don’t overthink it. In my last place we had full digital twins of factories where you could VR up and walk round and modify to drive process improvements but massive overkill if this is just a one off. OR is this going to be a new direction for the company and something you want to invest in?

We use Hololens 2 for remote visits.

Thanks folks. I personally think a simple facetime call is enough, but that people are getting overexcited and thinking they ‘need’ special tech.

Special tech here – https://www.virtalis.com/solutions

No one “needs” special kit, but if there is a legit business case for that level of reality or immersion, then maybe this is a good excuse to invest some time in developing it. If this is going to be more than a one off, that might be a plan. If there is an off the shelf solution that uses Hololens or Occulus it might work (although Occulus will stream that straight to Facebook…), but it wil probably be really expensive.

However, I strongly think that a decent camera on a smartphone, or maybe a GoPro and a laptop may be just as effective at showing where the machine is, how it sits and the space it is in. Worst case, it means your sales rep has to expense something that is more than just a normal Logitech webcam.

We also use Hololens. We’ve conducted FATs on complex equipment very successfully and had clients sign off without issues.

I need a way for the chap in the UK to see the environment over there.

You could just fly him out for the day.