The augmented reality (AR) business – those headsets embedded in a pair of glasses that give users a heads-up display of information about what they see in the real world – has had an admittedly shaky start. The debacle of the consumer-oriented “Google Glass” technology in 2013, which immediately led to concerns about privacy, probably set the AR business back a few years.
But that doesn’t mean the idea of using AR technology has died in the freight logistics business. In fact, several startup companies are working now to create products for use that are specific to the cargo-handling business that are helping to reduce errors in warehouse management, train supply chain workers, guide drone aircraft through complex indoor spaces and perform maintenance in warehouses and distribution centers.
Here are five of the many promising uses of this exciting – and emerging – new technology for the air cargo market.