I'm amazed at how tablet computers make things easier in our personal lives.   I can quickly access technology papers for work or research restaurant options for dinner tonight.  I can take an online course or collaborate with my nephew who's studying abroad.  Some people even monitor and manage their home heating, cooling and surveillance systems while they're away.  The interactivity has an amazing impact on daily life.

Now, imagine a large-scale, tablet-like system on a plant floor and the impact it can have on business.

Get ready...interactive experience portals for the plant floor are here!

https://youtu.be/9UfpA4HWPO4

Check out Dan Knight's Interactive Services Engine and X2O partner demonstration from last week's Automation Fair. 

Just some examples of interactive resources available to plant-floor users:

• OEE information from Rockwell Automation
• Inventory data from SAP
• Production status
• Power consumption and energy usage
• Quality data
• Global weather feeds
• Company news
• Live or recorded training sessions
• Immediate collaboration with remote subject matter experts for New Product Introductions or system trouble shooting

Dan Knight is the Business Development Manager for Cisco's Interactive Services.  Dan and his colleagues are focused on dramatically improving productivity, processes and troubleshooting for manufacturers and industrial businesses. 

Much like the smart tablets in our personal lives, Interactive Services for manufacturers means they don't have to wait to get access to information.  They can see, analyze and correlate data in real-time. They can collaborate via live, two-way video interaction to reach specialists and quickly resolve problems.  Decisions and progress can be accelerated dramatically.

I'd love to hear from you -how might you use these interactive services in your own facility?