Skip to content
Telecom

M1 Jointly Implements Southeast Asia’s First Maritime 5G AR/VR Smart Glasses

By Minjun ParkSingapore
2 min read
m1 blg
m1 blg
In this article (4)

Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), in partnership with M1, has implemented a 5G augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) smart glasses solution at its yard in Singapore, the first in Southeast Asia’s maritime industry. The pilot project is part of Keppel O&M’s strategy to leverage digitalization and virtual technology to enhance the efficiency of remote operations for its tech-enabled workforce. The project received a grant from IMDA’s 5G Innovation Program for the development of virtual platform solutions.

Smart Glasses can have multiple applications. It can be deployed in different phases of a project’s construction as well as to optimize the use of resources in shipyard settings. Versatile virtual platform solutions such as smart glasses can help to improve the overall efficiency of production processes in the maritime industry.

Equipped with a camera lens, microphone, micro speaker and cellular or WIFI reception, smart glasses are powered by leading-edge software that can perform real time analyses and provide data to the wearer. The device also enables the wearer to communicate seamlessly with a receiver or control room. Smart glasses are also equipped with a micro projector, which can project a digital overlay of text and images within the wearer’s field of vision.

Chris Ong, CEO of Keppel O&M, said, “As a provider of leading-edge solutions for the maritime industry, Keppel O&M is pleased to partner M1 in leveraging digital technologies to enhance yard operations and safety. During the Covid-19 pandemic when safe management measures limited physical inspections and site surveys, we were the first to officially conduct remote inspections for a newbuild vessel with a classification society using smart glasses.

“Today, we are further expanding its use to not only improve the efficiency of delivering projects and enhancing yard operations but also widening our capabilities to provide digital solutions for our customers’ assets. This is part of Keppel O&M’s Yard of the Future initiative, which harnesses digitalisation to transform our products, services, and operations.”

Keppel O&M worked with M1 to test-bed applications for smart glasses, harnessing M1’s 5G high-speed and low latency connectivity to enable quicker and more effective responses.

Manjot Singh Mann, CEO of M1, said, “We are pleased to collaborate with Keppel O&M to pilot 5G-enabled wearables such as smart glasses, which can help solve critical challenges in Singapore’s maritime industry.

“Through M1’s robust 5G network, smart glasses can provide high-bandwidth immersive AR/VR environment that enables highly detailed representations and real time information to be relayed to users and control centres. The successful introduction of the smart glasses solution at Keppel O&M is a useful test case that can be scaled and replicated to boost operational efficiency and safety across businesses and industries.”

Questions & Answers

Q.

What is the primary objective of implementing this 5G AR/VR smart glasses solution at Keppel O&M's yard?

A.

The project aims to use digitalisation and virtual technology to improve the efficiency of remote operations for Keppel O&M's tech-enabled workforce. It is part of the company's strategy to enhance overall production processes.

Q.

Which organisations provided funding or support for this smart glasses project?

A.

The project received a grant from IMDA’s 5G Innovation Program for the development of virtual platform solutions. This funding supported the initiative to implement the 5G AR/VR smart glasses.

Q.

How do these smart glasses assist the wearer in their tasks?

A.

The smart glasses allow the wearer to communicate with a receiver or control room and perform real-time analyses. They can also project a digital overlay of text and images within the wearer’s field of vision.

Reader pulse

Will 5G AR/VR smart glasses become common?

21,964 votes so far

Weekly Briefing

Asia's retail intelligence, in your inbox

Tuesday, Thursday and a Saturday Weekly Wrap: the retail stories, numbers and moves that mattered across Asia. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

  • Top industry moves and market shifts
  • Weekly data-driven analysis from across Asia
  • Tuesday, Thursday and the Saturday Weekly Wrap

Read by retail operators, investors and brand teams across Asia.

Protected by a quick human check. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe in one click.

SecureGDPR ready