The headset can be controlled using the Android app or an arm-mounted controller James Temperton

The future of augmented reality (AR) could be with mechanics and manufacturers, according to Fujitsu. The Japanese firm revealed a working prototype of its AR headset at Mobile World Congress and said practical applications of the technology could come as early as this year.

Fujitsu's headset has a camera, microphone, two speakers and a small display that sits in front of the eye to create the AR effect. In a demonstration the company showed the headset being used to locate the correct part to carry out repairs on a car engine, with it then showing where the part fits. The use of AR allows the technology to display specific instructions while remaining hands free.


A company spokesperson said the technology could be used by manual labourers to reduce the time it takes to do complex tasks, as well as cutting down on mistakes. Fujitsu said the headset should be available in Europe, Japan and the US sometime in the third quarter of 2015 and will cost "the same as a home computer".

The head mounted display uses Wi-Fi Direct, Miracast and Bluetooth to connect itself to a companion Android app and arm-mounted control pad. The control pad has large buttons and has been designed for use by workers with dirty hands to avoid damage to the smartphone. In a demonstration the control pad was used by a worker to enter their ID number to login to the system and start working on a job.

Gallery: Fujitsu's augmented reality helps car mechanics Gallery Gallery: Fujitsu's augmented reality helps car mechanics + 4

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Fujitsu explained that the headset has to be paired with the Android companion app in order to work. Similar apps for iOS and Windows Phone could also be developed in the future.


At the moment the prototype system relies on QR tags to understand the world around it and provide AR instructions. In the future Fujitsu said it would be technically possible for the hardware to identify objects and work out tasks without any QR prompts.

As well as providing workers with instructions the technology can also record everything that is being done and feed this data back to the employer. This could be basic data on how long certain tasks took or where confusion arose, or more detailed information such as a video recording of the job.

Fujitsu is by no means the first company to experiment with AR for hands-on, manual jobs. Google Glass, which has since gone into hiatus, was being used by a number of companies to test uses of the technology. Sony is also currently working on an AR device -- its SmartEyeglass developer edition headset is on sale now in the UK for £620.