“We are offering affordable technology, as VR is often too expensive and not as simple”
In the building & public works sector, problems on construction sites or in workshops are common. What is a technician supposed to do when a problem with machinery arises? Call an expert? Have an expert come over? A Lyon-based start-up has the answer to these limitations: Tikaway. Taking 3rd prize in the Orange 5G Challenge at Vivatech, the new company has created glasses connected to a camera that can launch a live consultation with a remote expert. And soon, with the arrival of the next generation mobile network, this solution promises to deliver even higher performance.
“Sort of like Skype but hands free”
“With Tikaway, you are teleporting the expert.” It is this metaphor that Brice Agnes, the co-founder of the start-up, uses to encapsulate the ingenious idea of the camera-equipped frames. How does it work? In the field, when a problem is encountered, the technician calls an expert by using the Tikaway glasses to connect to a videoconference. At his end, the expert “shares” what the operator is seeing via the live video. The expert can use that view to guide, assist, train, or troubleshoot the problem. All in real time. “Sort of like Skype but hands free!” adds Brice Agnes.
The Tikaway solution has already convinced Building & Public Works professionals. “The market is booming – digitising and modernising more and more every day. What is more, we are offering affordable technology, as VR is often very expensive and not as simple,” explains Tikaway’s co-founder. And the possibilities are endless… In fact, the solution can also help anyone who needs remote assistance via one of its field operators. The information can be instantly relayed to make decisions efficiently and limit travel costs.
Saves energy, time and money
Because travel is the real problem. “Reinvent the way you talk remotely with employees by cutting the time spent travelling, saving energy, time, and money. That is our hope,” says Brice Agnes. That is probably what the 5G Challenge jury liked too: an environmentally responsible promise connected with the future Orange 5G network. “We cannot wait to see our customers benefiting from the new network. It offers higher quality with lower latency and better bandwidth – ideal conditions for our solution,” says the entrepreneur, who also sees this prize as an opportunity to grow… before our very eyes!
“By taking 3rd place in this challenge, we have the opportunity to do real-world testing of the future network, run demos live, follow Orange at various events… It is tremendous,” he says. And we have even heard rumours that some Orange technicians may soon be outfitted with these glasses 4.0!
