Working together (towards a new human-machine hybrid workforce)

Today we are at the historical crossover of a new human-machine hybrid workforce, where people and machines work together in completely new ways. Rather than jobs going away, we can give workers new technology-empowered skills and drive employee effectiveness and innovation, combining Cloud Computing, Machine Learning and Mixed Reality. Right now, at the Hannover Messe in Germany, Microsoft and Comau are showing how this can be achieved.

a new human-machine hybrid workforce, where people and machines work together in completely new ways

Hannover Messe is the world’s biggest manufacturing trade fair, offering a platform to discuss ‘Industry 4.0’ with everyone from customers to representatives from science, politics, and business worlds. This year at the Microsoft area we are hosting the new Comau DiWo solution, helping manufacturing companies to improve efficiency and cut costs. Through this experience, we are showing how Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, and Mixed Reality can enable predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, and allow to get strategic insights by making the most of data both from the factory floor and from the supply chain.

Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Mixed Reality working together

The project Comau DiWo (Digital Workplace) is empowered by Microsoft Azure cloud platform and by the Azure Internet of Things Suite, as well as by the operating system Windows 10, which allows to leverage safely data generated from plants. When paired with Windows 10 universal apps and Mixed Reality solutions, DiWo can minimize downtimes, increase efficiencies, and more quickly pinpoint the location of faults, improving team collaboration and cooperation.

With Microsoft Holographic Computing (HoloLens), Comau is able to control Comau Racer 3 robots in diverse environments and remotely monitor factory machines, giving manufacturers a new way to interact with data via natural gestures and hands-free operations. Moreover, the Machine Learning features and Openness allow to integrate production- related data with other internal/external sources and gain business insights along the entire extended supply chain.

interact with data via natural gestures and hands-free operations

We are enthusiastic about collaborating with a leader such as Comau and offering intelligent solutions which lead the digital transformation path of our industry. Thanks to this project with Comau, we are sure we can empower more and more companies to leverage useful insights from inside and outside the plant, guaranteeing security, flexibility and openness in the meanwhile.

We believe humans and machines can work together to create new jobs that are enhanced by AI. I believe we’re only scratching the surface of what AI and human machine collaboration can help us accomplish!

Are you ready to improve the way you “manufacture” our future?

I really look forward to having your opinion and feedback on this.