Augmented reality (AR) has the potential to revolutionize education and training by providing students with a more immersive and interactive learning experience. AR can be used to create virtual environments that simulate real-world scenarios and provide students with hands-on experience.
Incredible Ways Different Sectors can Use AR for Education & Training
Education and training are core to many industries because they present an opportunity to expand the knowledge base.
Today, various industries are exploring AR-based digital solutions for effective education.
Here are the different ways AR is used to enhance education and training:
1. AR and Classroom Education
AR can turn a regular class into an engaging session for both trainers and learners.
It can help teachers better explain the subject, and provide a visual representation of the learning material. Learners focus on practice instead of just theory. Besides, AR-powered classes report fewer distractions and keeps the learners engaged.
You can build AR apps for almost every subject, including physics, chemistry, geometry, grammar, zoology, and even programming.
Let’s check a few examples.
QuiverVision – 3D Coloring App is an excellent example of such an app. The app focuses on combining education and entertainment for learner engagement. The trigger images that are provided by the app are printed and colored by the learners. Learners love it when they are able to bring these images to life on their smartphone/tablet screen and play with them.
Arloon Chemistry is another such app that has revolutionized the way learners learn to write chemical formulae. They can arrange the molecules displayed in 3D on their screen and learn chemistry in a manner that’s easy to remember.
Elements 4D app by DAQRI helps the learners discover the properties of various elements in an interactive way.
2. AR and the Space Industry
Did you know that NASA’s astronaut candidates have to complete a few years of training here on Earth?
And the training includes many activities, workouts, and assignments done in a simulated space environment.
The space industry uses AR to train astronauts and engineers performing complex tasks that require advanced technical skills and precision.
AR increases the potential of the space sector to decrease crew training requirements.
It eases the learning of the astronauts and engineers to:
- Assemble and build a space capsule faster.
- Maintain a space station.
- Explore the surface of planets by using real-time instructions projected through AR-glasses.
- Read visual work instructions with AR-glasses, which eliminate the need to turn to paper manuals.
3. AR and Medical Education and Training
AR is one of the up-and-coming digital healthcare technologies and is already revolutionizing how we educate and train our medical staff.
There are many use cases of AR technology in medical education. Some of them include:
- Creating human body models to learn anatomy in detail.
- Providing additional training opportunities with the help of simulations.
- Practicing surgeries on virtual patients.
- AR-enabled training videos to help physicians learn about the latest tools and methods.
For example, the Human Anatomy Atlas, an AR app, helps medical students explore the human body and better understand how it works. The app displays 3D models of the body and allows students to interact with them.
It provides more than 10,000 anatomical models. The app also has a quiz bank to help students check and improve their knowledge.
HoloAnatomy is another app that helps medical students learn about human anatomy using AR simulations.
Touch Surgery is yet another health app that specializes in surgical simulation. It lets the users practice surgery on virtual patients.
4. AR and Military Training
Consistent training is essential to the military. Military training requires a specific environment and location for the soldiers.
But creating that environment and putting the soldiers in that particular location for training may not always be possible. This is where Augmented Reality plays an important role.
AR is used to create an environment for training soldiers and train them more often without putting their lives in danger.
AR devices emulate a combat environment for the soldiers by projecting digital images of weapons, enemies, and vehicles onto their AR-glasses without exposing them to real danger.
It helps save travel expenditure by the military and reduces the need to spend on special equipment because AR can add virtual objects.
For Example, the US Marines had tested the Augmented Immersive Team Trainer (AITT) a few years ago. Since then, AITT has been used by the US Marines to reach its training objectives.
AR benefits military training by:
- Providing safer training environments
- Investing in less expensive combat training
- Facilitating more accessed and engaging mission rehearsals
- Rehearsing with customized terrain diversity
5. AR and Manufacturing Training
The manufacturing sector provides some wonderful examples of how AR is used in training—learning to operate complex machinery in manufacturing always requires lengthy preparation and a lot of theoretical knowledge.
But modern manufacturing workers can complete their tasks using real-time instructions projected on the AR screens.
Besides, companies can relax the stringent eligibility criteria while hiring employees. Manufacturing companies can now hire employees with basic skills and experience and train them on-the-go using AR instructions.
Siemens, for example, trains its employees on how to weld using AR simulation. When the trainees engage in practicing AR simulated welding, trainers can check it as displayed on the screen.
A study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute in 2018 showed around 2.4 million manufacturing positions might go unfilled between 2018 and 2028 because of the skills gap in manufacturing.
AR-enabled engaging training is one of the possible solutions to filling this skill gap. With AR, employees can practice without spending too much time on theory.
AR headsets can help by providing step-by-step instructions while a trainee is practicing.
