Manufacturing applications for "augmented reality" - a trending technology for consumers that has edged closer to the factory floor - will be presented November 5 during the WMS Conference, part of the Woodworking Machinery & Supply Expo 2015 in Toronto Nov. 5-7. 

Seen in consumer markets from IKEA catalogs to automobile dashboards, the approach has now been adapted to machine training, and design-for-manufacture. 

The session "Augmented Reality in Woodworking," presented at 9:00 a.m. on Nov. 5, will include two components:

1.) Mimbus Wood-Ed training system - presented jointly by Wes Love, president of Taurus Craco, and  Arnaud Bastard, CEO of Mimbus. Wood Ed, a woodworking machinery virtual reality training system, introduced at LIGNA 2015 in Germany, is being distributed in North America by Taurus Craco Machinery. Developed by Mimbus, the training system provides a safe yet realistic approximation of woodworking machinery for training new equipment users. It makes it North American debut at WMS 2015.

2.) Vortek Experience 3D Design Presentation System - presented by Peter Mate, president, Planit Canada. Client expectations about visual presentations have kept up with the increasing quality of computer-generated graphics. The Vortek Experience multi-screen technology allows the designer or client to enter the kitchen or other room, and through gestures, test a variety of colors and finishes, and other cabinetry configurations.  In response to the difficulty experienced by small to medium-size woodworking shops to keep up with 3D demands, Planit Canada worked with Arcane Technologies to offer Vortek CVS, a PC version of the beefier big brother, Vortek Experience. 

Because Wood-Ed and Planit are exhibiting at WMS 2015 in Toronto, conference attendees will be able to see the technology in action on the show floor.