IN TONIGHT’S CUTTING EDGE MIKE
WANKUM SHOWS US HOW IT CAN HELP
BRING BATTLESHIPS AND
HELICOPTERS RIGHT INTO THE
OFFICE.
MIKE: BAE SYSTEMS IS ONE OF THE
WORLD’S LARGEST TECHNOLOGY AND
DEFENSE COMPANIES.
EMPLOYING MORE THAN 83,000
PEOPLE WORLD WIDE.
THEY BUILD ALL KINDS OF THINGS
FOR THE ARMY, NAVY AND AIR
FORCE.
>> WE PROTECT THOSE, THAT
PROTECT US.
MIKE: JOHN KELLY OVERSEES THE
EMPOWER INNOVATION CENTER HERE
AT BAE SYSTEMS IN NASHUA, NEW
HAMPSHIRE.
THIS IS THE U.S. HEADQUARTERS
FOR THEIR ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
DIVISION.
WORKING ON PROJECTS SO COMPLEX
THAT AN OWNERS MANUAL COULD BE A
THOUSAND PAGES LONG.
AN INFORMATION OVERLOAD.
FROM DESIGNING IT RIGHT TO
BUILDING IT RIGHT REQUIRES AN
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY.
AND THAT’S WHERE AUGMENTED
>> AUGMENTED REALITY REALLY
COMPRESSES THAT TIMELINE OF
HUMAN UNDERSTANDING.
APPEALING TO THE VISUAL FORM OF
STORYTELLING OF HUMAN BEINGS.
IF YOU STARE AT THAT CIRCLE YOU
SHOULD START TO SEE SOME
HELICOPTERS TAKE OFF.
MIKE: I AM SEEING A HELICOPTER.
USING A.R., THEY CAN BRING ME
ALONG ON A TRAINING MISSION JUST
BY PUTTING ON THESE HEADSETS
WHILE NEVER ACTUALLY LEAVING THE
COMPANY LOBBY.
>> YOU CAN PUT ON ONE OF THESE
AND GET ADDITIONAL DATA.
>> WE’RE NOT GIVING THEM A PDF
OR LITTLE POWER POINT.
WE’RE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THESE
ANIMATED EXPERIENCES THAT THEY
CAN LOOK AT.
MIKE: WITH THESE HOLOLENS
HEADSETS IT FEELS LIKE YOU CAN
ACTUALLY REACH OUT AND TOUCH
THINGS THAT ARE NOT REALLY THERE
>> HUMANS ARE REALLY VISUAL
STORY TELLERS MIKE.
AS A DEFENSE COMPANY WE HAVE
PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST
COMPLEX STORIES TO TELL.
MIKE: BAE SYSTEMS DOESN’T JUST
BUILD THINGS FOR THE MILITARY,
THEY ALSO HAVE A COMMERCIAL
DIVISION.
USING AR, I CAN WALK THROUGH THE
ENGINE ROOM OF A SHIP USING ONE
OF THEIR HYBRID ELECTRIC MOTORS
IN SAN FRANSICO BAY.
IT’S KNOWN AS VISUAL
TELEPORTATION.
ENGINEERS CAN USE THIS
TECHNOLOGY TO HELP WITH
MAINTENANCE, EVEN WHEN THE
PHYSICAL SHIP IS THOUSANDS OF
MILES AWAY ON THE WEST COAST.
>> IT’S UNDERSTANDING AT THE
SPEED OF SIGHT.
WE’VE BEEN INCUBATING IT SINCE
2016 AND NOW WE’RE DRIVING IT
INTO ALL PARTS OF THE BUSINESS.
MIKE: THAT MEANS BRINGING AR TO
THE FACTORY FLOOR.
NO MORE PAPER INSTRUCTIONS
DURING ASSEMBLY.
A WORKER CAN FOLLOW HOW TO
ASSEMBLE THESE GREEN ENERGY
BATTERIES FOR A BUS WITHOUT
HAVING TO REFERENCE A COMPLEX
MANUAL.
>> THE SPEED AT WHICH THEY CAN
UNDERSTAND AND WE CAN MAKE
COMPLEX TOPICS ACCESSIBLE IS
REMARKABLE.
AUGMENTED REALITY/VIRTUAL
REALITY IN THE NEXT 5-7 YEARS IS
GOING TO BECOME OMNIPRESENT.
IT’S GOING TO BE ALL ACROSS THE
BUSINESS.
BEN: SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS
A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND THE
COMPANY COULD GROW A LOT
LOCALLY?
MIKE: THEY ARE.
IN THE PAST 18-MONTHS BAE
SYSTEMS HAS HIRED OVER 2500
PEOPLE LOCALLY AND THEY ARE
ALWAYS LOOK FOR MORE ENGIN
