Upskill improve productivity with augmented reality technology (Part 2)

Ballard got his start with the National Security Agency working on supercomputing and software intelligence for counterterrorism. He later served on a National Academy of Sciences committee overseeing a study on using augmented and virtual reality as a medium to interact with data. “That was the idea that stuck in my head,” he says.

In 2010, Ballard started APX Labs, which he recently renamed to Upskill. The company initially focused on smart glasses for the military but in 2014 moved to solely develop its software platform for commercial use. A year in, he says, Google Glass debuted and helped boost awareness of the technology. Wearables from companies like Vuzix and Daqri quickly followed. “Everyone’s imagination was pulled into the conversation,” he says. “The challenge for our small company was where to put the firepower. We aimed to focus on how to deliver information available today in a manner that is intuitive, easy to understand and configured in a way that isn’t disruptive to existing workflows and business processes.” In addition to GE, the company now works with several other Fortune 500 companies including Boeing, Johnson & Johnson and Lockheed Martin.

Ballard’s wearables solution aligns well with GE’s vision for the brilliant factory, where technology enhances human capabilities. “When you’ve got a brilliant factory, you’ve got smart machines and a digital twin,” Ballard says. “Without a brilliant workforce able to interface with that data, it’s not a completely efficient process. Our technology solves that problem and helps people become participants in the data exchange.”

Ballard expects his wearables to continue to evolve. “The human computer interface paradigms are going to continue to change over time,” he says. He says he can envision Upskill supporting new form factors like contact lenses, interactive conference rooms or maybe even some sort of mind interface. But he says his company will never lose its focus, which is simple: to empower humans to be more efficient at their jobs. “We’ll always need a way to work with people.”

Source: GE Report