Grapevine, TX, July 22, 2020 – BILT Incorporated, creators of the BILT app, has signed a $1.5M SBIR Phase-2 contract with the Air Force Ventures technology accelerator program, AFWERX, to provide 3D interactive instructions for military training and maintenance. Targeting a new generation of tech-savvy airmen and maintainers, the BILT app enables users to manipulate images on a touchscreen, allowing them to pinch to zoom in & out, drag to rotate 3D images 360º, and tap on each part for more information.
The cloud-hosted 3D instructions can be downloaded for use both on and off the grid. Thousands of instruction sets can be stored on a single mobile device and used without WiFi, saving in-flight space, weight, and fuel. Besides improving maintainer efficiency and enhancing mission readiness, BILT bolsters the military’s go-green initiative in alignment with the federal government’s effort to reduce its environmental footprint.
“We’re bringing maintenance and training capabilities into the 21st century to keep pace with our technical advances. Paper manuals, binders, and videos will go the way of muskets, biplanes, and mustard gas,” says BILT President & COO Ahmed Qureshi. “BILT’s analytics provide insight that enables instructions to be quickly updated according to user feedback. Maintainers will be safer, faster, and make fewer mistakes.”
With an ongoing data stream, BILT can detect which steps in a procedure are difficult for users and then probe to see what is causing confusion. BILT instruction designers can make updates to instructions in near real-time, so unlike a manual, that would need to be rewritten and reprinted, or a video, that must be reshot and reedited, BILT’s 3D instructions are never obsolete. BILT enables users to complete complex projects without having to decipher diagrams, flat drawings or illustrations, or make sense of abstract text descriptions. BILT’s CAD animations can be manipulated at your fingertips, so images are not limited by camera angle or proximity.
“If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a set of 3D interactive instructions is worth a thousand pictures,” says BILT Chairman & CEO Nate Henderson. “The BILT user experience far surpasses even video, because with play/pause, the user controls whether to proceed to the next step or replay the previous one. And you can watch the step play from any perspective.”
AFRL and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) process in an attempt to speed up the experience, broaden the pool of potential applicants and decrease bureaucratic overhead. The Air Force has begun offering ‘Special’ SBIR topics that are faster, leaner, and open to a broader range of innovations.
About BILT:
The award-winning BILT app provides 3D interactive Intelligent Instructions® that are voice & text guided. Beginning with a product overview, BILT includes tools required, parts included and directs the procedure step by step. BILT has proven to increase NPS, star ratings, product registrations & brand loyalty while reducing returns, calls to customer support, set-up time & errors. BILT empowers brands with analytics on each product and revolutionizes the way companies connect to their consumers. Manufacturers maintain control of their content; updates to instructions can be made in real time, so they’re never obsolete. BILT supports manufacturers’ efforts to go green by minimizing paper instructions, warranty & registration cards. Download the free BILT app on iOS or Android or go to BILTapp.com for details.
About AFWERX:
Established in 2017 by the Secretary of the Air Force, AFWERX is a catalyst for agile Air Force engagement across industry, academia, and non-traditional contributors to create transformative opportunities. The core mission of AFWERX is to improve Air Force capabilities by connecting innovators, simplifying technology transfer and accelerating results. AFWERX has partnered with the AFRL, a scientific research organization operated by the U.S. Air Force Materiel Command, to streamline the SBIR process to speed up the experience, broaden the pool of potential applicants, and decrease bureaucratic overhead. https://www.afwerx.af.mil
For details on how to increase military readiness, visit our BILT Government page.