Local company using augmented reality in cutting edge way

MIKE WANKUM SHOWS US. TAKE A LOOK. MIKE: BOSTON BASED PTC HAS REVOLUTIONIZED A.R., OR AUGMENTED REALITY. THEY COMBINE THE REAL WORLD WITH THE COMPUTER WORLD CREATING AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE. >> I LIKE TO SAY WE’RE CONVERTING BITS AND BITES TO SOUNDS AND SIGHTS. MIKE: CEO JIM HEPPELMANN TELLS US THEY CAN BLEND THE REAL WORLD OF THIS GENERATOR WITH THE USE MANUAL, WITHOUT HAVING TO READ PAGES AND PAGES. THINGS APPEAR ON A TABLET THAT AREN’T REALLY THERE, ALL TO HELP SOMEONE UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS. >> WE CAN TELL THEM WHERE TO STAND, WHAT TO LOOK AT, WHAT THEY SHOULD SEE, WHAT THEY SHOULD DO. MIKE: THIS EXPERTISE OF ENHANCING THE REAL WORLD WITH COMPUTER INFORMATION HAS ALLOWED PTC TO GO BEYOND SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS. >> WHEN YOU AND I LOOK LOOK AT IT WITH THE NAKED EYE, WE JUST SEE THE PUMP. BUT MY COLLEAGUE HERE WEARING THE SECOND GENERATION HOLOLENS FROM MICROSOFT SEES THAT PUMP DECORATED WITH DIGITAL INFORMATION. MIKE: IT’S LIKE HAVING X-RAY VISION TO LOOK INSIDE A PIECE OF MACHINERY. >> YOU SEE THAT RED GEAR? THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THAT GEAR, MAYBE A BROKEN TOOT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. MIKE: HE CAN DIGITALLY FIX THE PROBLEM, REPLACE THE RED GEAR, AND TEST THE PUMP TO MAKE SURE HE GOT IT RIGHT, ALL WITHOUT EVER TURNING A WRENC AND HE CAN SHARE THAT SOLUTION WITH ANYONE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. >> HOW CAN WE ALLOW THEM TO ENGINEER FASTER, TO MANUFACTURE FASTER, TO SERVICE PRODUCT BETTER? AND WE COME UP WITH A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS. MIKE: PTC IS DEVELOPING A.R. FOR EVERYTHING. THIS BEER TAP CAN SHOW HOW MUCH OF PARTICULAR BEER IS BEIN SERVED AND ALERT THE BREWERY TO MAKE MORE. CHEERS. THEY CAN ALSO MAKE SURE A BEVERAGE LINE IS FUNCTIONING AT PEAK PRODUCTIVITY. AND THEY CAN TEST THE METAL INTEGRITY OF A SNOW MOBILE SKI BEFORE IT IS EVEN BUILT. >> AND THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMPANIES, POLARIS. WE’RE GOING TO COLLECT AN ANALYZE THE TELEMETRY OF THIS AS YOU DRIVE IT, IT TESTS AND SIMULATES AND VALIDATES THAT IS GOING TO BE A GOOD DESIGN. MIKE: THAT FEEDBACK LETS THE MANUFACTURER SEE WHERE A VEHICLE MIGHT NEED TO BE REINFORCED TO MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE AND SAFER FOR THE RIDR. AND THIS CONFIRMS THAT I’M PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST DRIVERS YOU’VE EVER SEEN? >> IT CERTAINLY DOES. ED: YES, YOU ARE. HOW WIDESPREAD IS THIS SOFTWARE RIGHT NOW? MIKE THIS PLACE IS HUGE. IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SOFTWARE COMPANIES IN MASSACHUSETTS AND ITS INNOVATIONS ARE USED IN RAYTHEON, BOSTON SCIENTIFIC AND IROBOT AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS. MY FIRST TIME DRIVING THAT, I RAN INTO AN AMBULANCE. ED: LIKE LITERALLY? MIKE: IT IS ALL VIRTUAL, BUT IT WAS NOT A GOOD -- ED