Plutomen Connect: Getting Started with Remote Visual Assistance

Last year, we launched Plutomen Connect (formerly Plutomen ARMS) to deliver AR-based virtual video assistance to frontline workers. Till now, our solution has empowered 100s of frontline workers to digitalize their last-mile operations, reducing barriers like location, time, and travel cost. 

At Plutomen, we work hard to empower frontline workers and give them all the necessary AR-powered remote tools to make their journey smooth, operations easy, and productivity high. Our AR-powered remote assistance suite is segregated into three SaaS-based products – Plutomen Connect, Plutomen Workflow, and Plutomen Assistance.  

Keyur Bhalavat, CEO at Plutomen

Considering the complexity of our solution, we’ve put together this short guide on the process of getting started with Plutomen Connect. For your convenience, let’s start with learning more about the solution first.

What is Plutomen Connect?  

Plutomen Connect is an AR–led, Remote Visual Assistance software that helps frontline workers connect and collaborate with experts and troubleshoot issues quickly. The main goal of Plutomen Connect is to make frontline workers life easy by bringing off-site experts and on-site teams through AR powered video stream. With just one click, you can instantly interact remotely and get visual assistance to solve problems.   

How Plutomen Connect Differs from Other Video Conferencing apps? 

You might wonder “When I have access to video call or video conferencing app in my phone, why do I need Plutomen Connect?”. Well, that’s a really good question we admit.

Let’s try to answer it by comparing both Video Conferencing and Video/ Visual Assistance head-to-head.

What is Video Conferencing? 

A regular video conferencing, with apps like Google Duo, Zoom, WhatsApp., involves friends and family members who can see each other and have a conversation. The conversation can be as different and short as showing your friends a phone or dress you purchased the other day. Here the intent of the conversation is focused mainly on the ‘people’, which in this case is you and your friend, family member.  

What is Video/ Visual Assistance? 

A regular video assistance call, on the other hand, involves a technician or assistant and his peers who wants to fix a problem. The problem can be any technical issue, machine defects, or installation error. Here the purpose of the call is not to interact by looking at each other, but to solve a problem. For example, a technician can point the camera to the problem he is looking to solve. Just by looking at the issue from the camera, and marking the issue with AR-based annotations, he and his peers can have productive conversations focused only on solving it.  

In particular, an AR-based Video assistance can:

• Shorten the skill-gap between frontline workers and expert;
• Reduce the time require to travel, on-site;
• Reduce the number of truck rolls, which in turn reduce costs;
• Help retired technicians delegate and transfer skills to train new joiners.

Plutomen Connect vs WhatsApp or Google Duo or Zoom 

Plutomen Connect, being a remote visual assistance solution, differs from WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Duo and other conferencing apps due to its ability to offer several inspections related features along with the power of Augmented Reality and Computer Vision.  

Here’s a table, which neatly explain the differences between Plutomen Connect and video conferencing apps like WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Duo, etc.  

What are some features of Plutomen Connect? 

Now that you know what are the differences between Plutomen Connect and other video conferencing solutions, let’s take a look at some features that makes it adopted and entrusted by 100s of Frontline workers:  

• Schedule your calls with experts so that you don’t need to wait to receive assistance from industry leaders; 

• Freeze your screen whenever you want to focus on a particular part of the machine;

• Use a pointer to specify a specific part on the screen that needs troubleshooting ;

• Zoom your screen to ensure you don’t miss out on details;  

• Draw on the video to emphasize an issue;  

• Share images of the screen on call to have a detailed overview of the issue;

• Record your sessions and build a secure knowledge repository to use whenever needed.  

How to Use Plutomen’s Remote Visual Assistance Solution?  

Setting up Plutomen Connect is very convenient and easy process. All you need is a working internet connection and any electronic communication device like smartphone, tablet, or laptop. What’s more, you can also seamlessly integrate it with smart-glasses like any smart-glass software. We will learn about how to integrate Plutomen Connect with RealWear glasses in an another blog. 

Let’s learn how you can use our remote visual assistance solution.

First and foremost, download Plutomen Connect on any device from play store & app store. If you want to login with a web browser, you can open https://webarms.pluto-men.com/login. 

Step 1: Log in

If you are an existing user, you’ll be able to log in with the pre-defined credentials. If you are a new user who has recently purchased the license, you will get the login credentials for the application from plutomenarms@gmail.com. Once logged in, you will be able to use Plutomen Connect to connect with the user and the team.

Step 2: Recent Call List 

Your recent call list will have a record of all your incoming and outgoing calls. Here you can access details of your call, date and time, duration of calls and call type. You can also manage your calls and edit them instantly.   

Step 3: Contact List 

Have a glimpse of all your team member’s contacts and call them quickly with a single click. It’s that easy! Plutomen Connect makes it easy for you to access your smartphone contacts.  Just click on the call button to connect with all your team members.  

Step 4: On-Call 

When you receive an incoming call, you can accept or reject the call at your convenience.  

Step 5: Accept the Call 

If you choose to receive a call, the video call will begin. If your device is locked, you need to receive the call and then unlock your device to continue the live session or meeting.   

Step 6: Reject the Call 

If you reject the call, the caller will be notified that the call has been denied and receive a call-back option. The user must either ignore the call or call back instantly.   

Step 7: Join the Call with the Link or Code  

The registered user can access a link or code to make calls accessible for Guest Logins on an ongoing call. By clicking on the link, the guest user can join the discussion and participate in receiving or imparting assistance to the worker.   

Step 8: Guest-User Access

Users not registered to the app can also access Plutomen Connect with limited features. The registered user must share a link or a code with them. However, the user needs to add some user details, including a Username, Email Id, and Mobile Number.  

Step 9: Add Annotations

To add annotations to your screen, click on settings, which will display a set of annotations you can use to amplify a particular point in the ongoing call with experts, teammates, or industry leaders.   

Step 10: Callers can Add Multiple Annotations  

In an ongoing meeting, the caller can add multiple 3D AR annotations to the call at their convenience and ease. The receiver on the call can see all these annotations on their screen and share their solutions, diagnosis, or assistance with the frontline worker.   

Step 11: Receiver Side

The receiver can also add multiple 3D annotations with a wide range of customization and drawing tools to emphasize specific points or areas. The receiver can also use flash to avoid a dark atmosphere. There is also an option to undo annotations for better accessibility.   

Step 12: Draw with Multiple Colors  

Highlight different sections or issues with different colors to avoid confusion. This will help frontline workers to receive assistance quickly without any challenges. You can also adjust their strokes with your ease.  

Step 13: Capture Screenshots  

Using the Screenshot features, you can take screenshots of your ongoing calls and add tags and descriptions. This will help you create notes ad secure knowledge repositories, which you can share with other workers whenever necessary.   

Step 14: Freeze Mode 

Use Freeze mode to provide stability or focus on a particular part of a complex machine for a long time. Both the caller and receiver can freeze and unfreeze the screen at their convenience. You can also draw on the frozen screen. However, the annotations and drawings will be erased once the screen unfreezes. Thus, it is recommended that you capture a screenshot of the screen.   

Step 15: Gallery   

Your gallery will be like your secured drive, where you can save all your video recordings and captured screenshots for future reference. Don’t forget to add tags or descriptions to them so that you quickly access them.  

Step 16: Web-browser Support  

All the features we learned above can also be accessed through a web browser. Through this, the offsite team member, supervisor, industry leader, or expert can guide the remote worker from the comfort of their home. However, it is mandatory for the person on the site to connect from a mobile or tablet device.  

Step 17: Call Recording  

Last but not least is recording your calls. The caller and the receiver can record calls on Plutomen Connect and save them with tags and descriptions. You can use these recordings when you face a similar issue in the near or distant future.   

How Plutomen Connect can Add Value to your Enterprise?

In above sections, we explained what Plutomen Connect is and how it works. Now let’s explore the value it can bring to your enterprise.   

• Get instant remote solutions to solve the problems of complex machinery  

• Onboard new remote workers with minimum skill gaps  

• Minimize human errors, reduce risks, and increase the efficiency of your enterprise  

• Give interactive visual assistance to frontline workers   

• Save money on physical visits of experts to remote locations  

 So, are you excited to know more about us? If yes! Book a personalized demo and we will be available around the clock to answer all your queries.