The other face of augmented reality (growing by leaps and bounds)

I suspect these projectors will be replaced with small, always in focus, touch interactive projectors.

With a little further digging.... the author of the referenced article is the CEO of OPS Solutions -- which produces this kind of tech. 

MBT Mag  -- More at the source.

Every so often, however, something big — and potentially transformative — improves and enhances manufacturing processes not in baby steps, but in leaps and bounds. Whether that is a new technology, a new approach, or a new category of innovative tools or practices, these are the true “game-changers,” that could remake the industry in a profound and lasting manner. One area with the promise to drive that kind of transformative innovation is augmented reality, a disruptive suite of systems and technologies that delivers hands-on guidance and instruction with a dynamic, interactive and adaptive set of real-time instructions and integrated audio and visual cues.

While augmented reality may sound futuristic, it is far from science-fiction: augmented reality technologies are already being deployed in factory floors around the world, fundamentally changing the way that countless products are manufactured. From automotive to medical device manufacturing and everything in between, augmented reality is now playing a pivotal role in improving safety, reducing errors and enhancing efficiencies.

Some of the most advanced augmented reality systems utilize a digital projection technology that overlays a virtual operating “canvas” onto the work surface. When combined with visual and audio cues, no-faults-forward functionality (a particularly desirable feature at a time when consistency, quality-control and customization challenges challenges can lead to troubling and potentially costly legal liabilities), and specialized tools that work in concert with equipment already in place such as machine vision cameras and torque wrenches, it is easy to see why augmented reality is being adopted so enthusiastically by growing numbers of organizations.

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For the manufacturing industry, augmented reality has a special appeal: it improves the work and efficiency of manufacturing professionals, it does not replace them. At a time when there are justified employment concerns throughout the industry about the implications of more automation, augmented reality is a welcome middle ground. It is far from a compromise, however. The growing popularity of augmented reality is ultimately based on something very simple: it works. Some automotive manufacturers that have integrated augmented reality platforms into their operation have achieved eye-opening results, including a dramatic 80-90 percent reduction in errors, a cycle time that was essentially cut in half, and a bottom-line boost in throughput of around 95 percent.