News

TeamViewer Pushes Further Into Factory Wearables and Augmented Reality Technology

August 13, 2021 by Alessandro Mascellino

How can advanced AR technology improve processes on the factory floor?

Wearable technology has advanced significantly since the invention of devices such as smartwatches and AR glasses. In addition to being used in home, office, and other environments, wearables have recently become more popular in the industrial space

Large companies and start-ups alike have dedicated more efforts towards innovating wearable technology in the last several years. Control Automation recently sat down with Percy Stocker, Executive Vice President, AR Americas for TeamViewer, a company that specializes in remote connectivity solutions for industrial sectors. 

 

TeamViewer: A Company Overview

TeamViewer was founded in 2005 and focuses on developing cloud-based technologies designed to enable and facilitate online remote support and collaboration. When asked about the company, Stocker mentioned that TeamViewer aims to be “...doing something that transforms the business today, not 10 years from now.” 

The company’s software has recently been reportedly installed on over 2.5 billion devices, each of them generating a unique ID. Stocker also noted that “Software should not be a static tool, but react to the specifics of the environment and the worker using it.”

 

A worker utilizing AR wearable devices. Image used courtesy of TeamViewer

 

The company also counts up to 45 million devices online at any given time, and they offer software and support in more than 30 languages.

In the last several years, TeamViewer acquired five organizations to strengthen its position in the manufacturing market. These were industrial wearable computing and augmented reality (AR) solutions provider Ubimax, customer engagement solution company Xaleon, wearable technology company Upskill, process digitization company VISCOPIC, and digital studio Hapibot.

TeamViewer was then acquired by European private equity firm Permira in 2014. TeamViewer has several products to specifically support AR and remote monitoring processes in manufacturing as well. Some of their products are listed below:

 

These products aim to remotely access, manage, control, and monitor manufacturing processes across many different industries. According to their website, the TeamViewer products are designed to keep IT infrastructure healthy and secure. 

 

Introducing Biometric Capabilities

TeamViewer has recently updated its Remote Control app. The latest version of the remote connectivity tool introduces biometrics and other usability improvements. The app’s new biometric capabilities, in particular, aim to take advantage of these enhanced security features that are today available on most smartphones.

The Remote Control app is one of TeamViewer’s main products. It can remotely control computers, tablets, smartphones, and other devices from a mobile device. The company also offers a version of its software dedicated to industrial workspaces with augmented reality-based wearable computing solutions called Frontline.

 

A computer rendering showcasing the capabilities of TeamViewer Frontline. Image used courtesy of TeamViewer

 

Frontline runs on smart glasses or other mobile devices and is designed to digitize shop floor workflows through interconnectivity and collaboration of data, machines, and people. With the latest update of the Remote Control app, TeamViewer is now introducing native biometrics face and fingerprint authentication on both Apple and Android mobile devices. Upon opening the app, unauthorized access can be blocked as part of two-factor authentication (TFA), and even when incoming connections are detected.

 

Additional Features

The new update also introduced some additional features, including improved in-session interactions like remote reboot and more intuitive use of black screen to keep the information being accessed on the remotely located device private.

 

Part of a screenshot showcasing the Remote Control app’s biometric capabilities. Image used courtesy of TeamViewer

 

In addition, the user interface has been improved further to allow an easier filling of text fields and the use of keyboard shortcuts like F5 and Ctrl+Alt. Full mouse support has also been introduced on iPads to improve productivity on tablets.

All connections are now protected with end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption and other industry-grade security features. The latest version of TeamViewer Remote Control aims to take advantage of these native features to make TeamViewer one of the most trusted remote access tools on the market. Users can download the TeamViewer Remote Control app and other products for iPhone and iPad devices at the Apple App Store and on the Google Play Store for Android devices.