The Future of Mixed Reality: Blending the Virtual and the Real

INTANA.NEWS – At Microsoft Ignite 2023, we are announcing Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Guides, which combines the power of generative AI with mixed reality to help frontline workers complete complex tasks and resolve issues faster with less disruption to the flow of work.

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides assists workers in industrial settings who deal with complex equipment and processes. New technicians need to ramp up quickly while learning how to operate and service that equipment. When equipment stops functioning, workers must act quickly to diagnose the problem, implement a fix, and then document their work. Instead of workers needing to search through volumes of digital documents or paper manuals, Copilot enables workers to ask for relevant information using natural language and human gestures, such as looking and pointing. Copilot uses generative AI to search for information from technical documentation, service records, training content, and any other data sources that customers curate. Copilot then summarizes the information to provide interactive guidance through content and holograms overlaid on the equipment in operation or maintenance.

Mixed reality together with AI presents a human-first interface that promises to transform real-world operations. Now, Copilot can assist industrial workers in real-time with speech and holograms.

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides capabilities

Here are the capabilities we plan to unlock with Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides:

Point and Ask Guidance

Humans have always learned from and interacted with their environment in a hands-on manner, asking questions of others as they work. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides builds on that natural way of interacting to help workers better understand the world around them. Workers can point to a component on an asset and ask Copilot questions, such as “What is the torque limit for these bolts?” New workers can ask general questions, such as “What is the function of this component?” without needing to interrupt a more experienced coworker. Copilot recognizes what the user is pointing at and provides answers. 3D models and spatial maps provide the foundation for the technology to identify what the worker is looking at and then project a hologram to show instructions. Workers can ask more complex questions, such as “Which direction does this part fit?” or “Show me where the sensor module is on this machine,” and Copilot will display holograms to show where the part belongs.

Spatial Content Generation

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides accelerates the out-of-the-box value of mixed reality by significantly reducing the upfront investment needed to create spatial content. Copilot simplifies the creation, management, and delivery of mixed reality content using customer-defined data sources, enabling companies to adopt mixed reality much faster.

Step-by-Step Assistance

Powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, large language models allow Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides to do far more than answer one-off questions. Workers can have progressive conversations, such as “Walk me through the steps to disassemble this filtration unit,” or “I disconnected the motor, what’s next?” Copilot follows along with the process and conversation using customer’s curated knowledge base to articulate answers with speech, text, or 3D holograms, eliminating ambiguity and reducing the need for rework.