Colloquium announcement

Faculty of Engineering Technology

Department Design, Production and Management
Master programme Industrial Design Engineering

As part of his / her master assignment

Hasper, A. (Anke)

will hold a speech entitled:

Enriching employees with smart technology - The social & creative process of implementing the HoloLens 2 in the factory

Date09-02-2022
Time10:00
RoomVR Lab

Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a global need for technologies that enable communication, collaboration and education whilst maintaining physical distance. Also at VDL ETG Almelo there was a need to facilitate a remote interaction between operator and engineer. To further investigate the possibilities, VDL ETG Almelo has purchased a Microsoft HoloLens 2. However, implementing smart technologies turns out to encompass more than just an operating product. Specifically: the lack of acceptance on the factory floor is one of the main reasons companies fail to implement technological innovations in the workplace.

This thesis therefore investigated how the HoloLens 2 can be successfully implemented at VDL ETG Almelo. In which 'successful' is defined as: “The HoloLens 2 has a useful application for VDL ETG Almelo and the technology (including the application) is accepted and used by the intended VDL employees.”
To achieve end-user acceptance, it is essential to focus on the future interaction of the technology with the end-user. Therefore, it is recommended to involve the end-user in the implementation process. To involve the end-users in the implementation process and explore the possibilities of the HoloLens 2, various research activities have been set up based on user-centred design and participatory design methods, including a series of co-design sessions.

The research activities have shown that the participants in the study are interested in a range of HoloLens 2 applications on the condition that physical presence in the factory is not entirely replaced. In addition, it turned out that ease is one of the most critical drivers in (unconsciously) deciding whether or not to use the HoloLens 2. In fact, the thesis has shown that a more embodied interaction with the HoloLens 2 is desired, which will improve the workflow.

Two use cases were tested in this thesis: ‘Remote support for one of VDL’s customers’ and ‘Internal communication’. The tests have shown that the HoloLens 2 is a valuable and feasible technology tool for VDL, for now, but also with an eye to the future.
In addition, the research has shown that a creative process not only makes collaboration more fun it can also yield a lot in terms of content because in-depth conversations are held relatively quickly.
To conclude: the design process has ensured wide support for applying the HoloLens 2, which allows the company to continue and expand the implementation.