Index AR Solutions Partners with MidAmerican Energy on Gas Apprentice SuperApp to Modernize Workforce Training
Pairing of Augmented Reality and Rich eBook Content to Make Training
of New Gas Utility Workers Faster and More Effective
Index AR Solutions announced today it has partnered with MidAmerican
Energy Company to launch a combined augmented reality (AR) and eBook
training application for its gas apprentice students that boosts
engagement, knowledge retention and worker safety. Purpose-built to help
gas utilities develop new technicians efficiently and effectively, the
Index AR application is the second offering available to industry in its
emerging SuperApp™
library.
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In an augmented reality application built by Index AR Solutions, gas technician apprentices at MidAmerican Energy Company can visualize and better understand the operation of a gas meter set. (Photo: Business Wire)
The gas technician AR and eBook application replaces paper-based
materials with a rich and highly visual, complete training platform. It
features an interactive multimedia eBook paired with an AR learning
experience that is loaded on each apprentice’s work tablet for use in
both training and in the field.
In addition to rich text, video and photos, the application includes 3D
models, AR overlays, animations, and step-by-step navigations that teach
company-approved procedures and best practices that are further enhanced
with tribal knowledge from the company’s most experienced gas
technicians. Important safety and equipment warnings are also built into
the application, presented to the worker at just the right step of a
given process or equipment visualization.
MidAmerican Energy Company is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy,
wholly-owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A; BRK.B). Serving
some 751,000 natural gas customers in Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota and
Nebraska, MidAmerican Energy Company will use the SuperApp to train its
Gas Tech Apprentices beginning this year.
The gas apprentice SuperApp™ is the latest in a series of SuperApp™ AR
product offerings from Index AR that are tailored to address common
workforce challenges associated with an industry. SuperApp™ offerings
pack the power of Index AR’s custom-built applications, with product
development that is performed in the field using real-world scenarios
and hardware. Index AR is building a library of SuperApp™ products over
time, giving clients a selection of robust AR solutions that can be
rapidly procured and deployed to meet specific business needs.
With Westar Energy, Index
AR introduced its LineAssist SuperApp™ in May, a highly visual
mobile training and field application that helps electrical utility
linemen perform complex maintenance tasks more safely and faster.
The new gas apprentice SuperApp™ is available for purchase by utilities
through Index AR Solutions, with pricing and terms based on a
co-marketing agreement with MidAmerican Energy Company.
“The ability to train, retain and keep workers safe has taken on a new
sense of urgency as demographics have shifted in recent years,” said
Chris Biernacki, Operations Manager at Index AR Solutions. “We are
delighted to work with MidAmerican on this project, creating a way for
utilities to modernize their training with highly visual and intuitive
tools that workers can use from the classroom to the field.”
In addition to developing the SuperApp™ library, Index AR offers
custom-built AR apps to help teams in industrial settings work smarter
and safer – improving inspection, work instruction, training, workflow
management and other operations. Many organizations using an Index AR
app have seen a two to four times increase in worker productivity.
For more information, visit https://www.indexarsolutions.com/.
About Index AR Solutions
Index AR Solutions is a leading American enterprise augmented reality
(AR) solutions provider, creating applications that make workers more
capable and productive. The privately held company offers custom and
off-the-shelf AR applications, proprietary AR software, and client
retreats. In collaboration with clients, Index is also building a
library of SuperApp™ AR products to address common workforce challenges
across industry. Index AR is hardware agnostic, delivering quantifiable
results across all the major mobile platforms, with clients reporting
two to four times increases in worker productivity. For more information
about Index AR Solutions, visit www.IndexARSolutions.com.
About MidAmerican Energy Company
MidAmerican Energy Company is an energy provider serving 770,000
electric customers and 751,000 natural gas customers in Iowa, Illinois,
Nebraska and South Dakota. It is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.
Information about MidAmerican Energy is available on the company’s
website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages, which can be accessed
at MidAmerican Energy Company's website www.MidAmericanenergy.com.
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