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Microsoft HoloLens enables thyssenkrupp to transform the global elevator industry

Written By published September 15, 2016

Using HoloLens, 24,000 elevator service technicians can now visualize and identify problems ahead of a job, and have remote, hands-free access to technical and expert information when onsite, improving the way people and cities move.



Hi everyone, I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting news about the work thyssenkrupp Elevator is doing with Microsoft HoloLens.

Today, in New York City at One World Trade Center, we demonstrated how thyssenkrupp (and innovation that only HoloLens makes possible) has the potential to transform their industry and help over 1 billion daily elevator passengers get to where they need to go with ease, safety and reliability.

In a world where more than 12 million elevators transport over 1 billion people each day (a number that is constantly growing), it is imperative elevator service innovation grows ahead of the pace.

Enter thyssenkrupp.

Video produced and provided by thyssenkrupp.

Utilizing HoloLens, they found that they could dramatically improve response time, increase efficiency, raise elevator uptimes and speed up service interventions to ensure mobility equipment is always running. With the help of HoloLens, over 24,000 thyssenkrupp elevator service engineers can now do their jobs safer and more efficiently by triaging service requests ahead of the visit and getting hands-free remote guidance when on site.

For all of us on the HoloLens team, we couldn’t be more excited to see what thyssenkrupp has done. As the first fully self-contained holographic computer running Windows 10, HoloLens has been helping companies and industries innovate in entirely new ways. thyssenkrupp is the latest example of how a business can be transformed through mixed reality and we continue to be amazed at the continual innovation and creativity that we’ve seen from our partners. Here is a look at how our vision for mixed reality is helping companies innovate in ways never before possible.

With Skype on HoloLens, technicians can be hands free while on the job, even when making remote calls to subject-matter experts and sharing holographic instructions between users.
With Skype on HoloLens, technicians can be hands free while on the job, even when making remote calls to subject-matter experts and sharing holographic instructions between users.

The work thyssenkrupp is doing with HoloLens centers on the use of Skype – which is available to all users of HoloLens without any additional development work required. With Skype on HoloLens, technicians can be hands free while on the job, even when making remote calls to subject-matter experts and sharing holographic instructions between users. This enables more flexibility while also complying with safety regulations. In initial trials, use of HoloLens has reduced the average length of thyssenkrupp’s service calls by 4X.

Microsoft HoloLens enables thyssenkrupp to transform the global elevator industry
Microsoft HoloLens enables thyssenkrupp to transform the global elevator industry.

This implementation of HoloLens serves as a compliment to MAX, thyssenkrupp’s game-changing service for elevators that leverages the predictive maintenance capabilities of Azure IoT. In October 2015, thyssenkrupp teamed up with Microsoft and global systems integrator CGI to develop a solution that securely connects thyssenkrupp’s thousands of sensors and systems in its elevators to the cloud. With Microsoft Azure IoT Suite, thyssenkrupp captures all elevator data, from motor temperature to shaft alignment, cab speed and door functioning, and transmits it into the cloud into a single dashboard. The solution provides technicians with instant diagnostic capabilities and rich, real-time data visualization of two primary types of data: alarms that indicate an immediate issue, and events, which are stored and used for management.

Several iconic buildings across the globe have elevators that are already cloud-connected through MAX, including One World Trade Center. The building has elevators capable of moving from the ground floor to the 102nd floor in just 60 seconds, and regenerative drives that convert energy produced when elevators decelerate into electricity that can be used to significantly reduce the building’s energy consumption. Now equipped with MAX and HoloLens, the tower is setting new standards for sustainability, reliability, and building efficiency.

We are incredibly proud and humble to be on this journey with thyssenkrupp. We can’t wait to see what they, and all our partners, will do next.

If you are a potential commercial customer or developer looking to join the mixed reality journey, check out HoloLens.com where we have all the information you need to get started. We would love for you to join us.