Tech Watch & Business Innovation works with Business Innovation Prototypes where we collaborate with both customers within Volvo Group, colleagues, suppliers etc to explore next practice. Below is a list of featured prototypes.
| Name | Year | Description (Keywords) |
|---|---|---|
Service By Voice | 2011 | The prototype aims to increase knowledge about voice/speech recognition and Text to Speech algorithms. The objective is also to evaluate different technologies and actors on the market and develop a prototype application. The prototype application will be evaluated by technicians in a real workshop environment. This prototype is cooperation between Volvo IT and Asia Truck Organisation. |
Viusal Roadmapper | 2010 | By combining latest IT trends and technology with a broad multidisciplinary, OutOfTheBox-thinking the database readability is taken to completely new levels. The user can filter and combine data in real-time, allowing fast “What-if analysis” presented in several different graphical views depending of the end-users need. |
| All in a browser | 2011 | Explore how a browser could act as a alternative to an installed client environment |
| Location Based Assembly Support - Contextual information for the mobile workforce | 2009 | In connection to the transformation into the digital factory in which more and more preparation is executed digitally and also distributed digitally this prototype is exploring technologies in the field of human computer interaction and Real Time Location Systems. |
| Life On The Road – Location Based Mobile Community | 2009 | The prototype will give an increased knowledge about Location based mobile community through a hands-on test with real end-user. During the test period end-users will communicate and share experiences through the community application. |
Connected Mechanic  | 2010 | We explore how mobile technologies can be used to provide personalized and more user friendly access to service information for mechanics. |
Video on Internet | 2010 | The objective is to try and evaluate usage of viodeo conferencing solution for operational communication Between Headquaters and its hubs around the world and understand behaviour and impact on the infrastructure. |
New Mobility Offer (NEMO) | 2010 | Nemo as "new mobility offer" is a prototype wich intends to study new ways of convergence in telephony area. |
Serious Leap – Volvo Production System through Serious Games | 2009 | The objective of the business innovation prototype is to explore the potential of game-based learning, both from a technical and business value perspective. |
| Line design | 2009 | Exploring Line Balancing functionality within the SAP R/3 component Line Design |
Green Commuting | 2009 | This prototype explores business value in easy access to public transport systems combined with ad-hoc car pool access provide as an appealing alternative to work commuters. |
Serious Games to assess salesmen behavior | 2009 | This prototype will give to the International Training function a new tool based on serious game technnology to better assess salesmen behaviour to help them to increase sales effiency. |
| Gaming Business Interface | 2009 | This prototype explores new ways of operational reporting and User interfacing. |
| UMPC linked to DMS | 2009 | This prototype explores the added value brought by UMPC linked to DMS usage at the dealership : what is the added value in the process? |
IndiWare | 2009 | “Using the ICT tools that individuals love/prefer/know at work can reduce costs, increase IT maturity and creativity throughout the organization” |
| ViewPoint | 2010 | We are exploring how place (real estate) can contribute to business success. |
| Mobile Business | 2010 | We are using the prototype methods in the creation of the mobile business strategy |
| 3D Laser scanning technology | 2009 | The transformation towards the digital factory has many challenges whereas one is to create and keep the digital environment up to date with the real factory environment. |
Secure Documents  | 2009 | By using Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection on individual documents we would like to explore if security restrictions can be enforced even when documents are not protected by normal authorization means. |
3D Animation  | 2008 | Exploring the process to produce and publish a 3D and animated repair manual reusing CAD data. |
| Just-In-Time Translation | 2008 | Exlporing productivity enhancement in international cooperation by assessing computer aided translation |
| DTCO - Digital Tachometer | 2008 | Remote company card authentification, remote data download (on the fly) |
| Incoming RFID | 2008 | Exploring RFID technology to track incoming goods, at Volvo Parts Logistics in Ghent |
| Open Source Desktop | 2008 | Desktop solution based on open source. |
MultiMedia Driver Comfort  | 2008 | Exploring the business value in offering multimedia access to drivers. |
| Electronic standard worksheet | 2008 | Web based visualization of assembly instructions, down time and takt time at Volvo Bus assembly line |
Pick-by-voice | 2008 | This prototype explores the feasibility of voice enabled picking. Voice enabled picking is a technology where the computerscreen, PDA or paper is replaced with a head-set and microphone. |
| Sequence Optimization | 2008 | This prototype explores the sequence optimization techniques within production planning and line balancing. |
| PriMaX | 2008 | This prototype explores business value by a “gaming” paradigm in system work for pricing processes. |
| Secure Intersection | 2007 | Simulate an intelligent intersection that broadcasts information, warning messages wirelessly to passing vehicles |
| Voice over IP WLAN | 2006 | Seamless voice communication between own Wlan and 3G cellular network |
| No Print | 2007 | Exploring possible solutions for presenting assembly instructions in a digital format, reducing environmental effect and increasing the usability for the assembly worker |
Virtual worlds | 2007 | Leif's Truck Stop, an exploration of Virtual Worlds and 3D interactive environments. |
| Enterprise Blogs | 2007 | Using a Blog or Wiki to facilitate information sharing in an enterprise |
| Integrated mobile | 2007 | Experiment at 3 different VCE locations with hybrid IP- and mobile network based phone equipment, with an aim to rationalize on call cost. |
| Adaptive User Interface | 2006 | Adaptive and intuitive user interfaces to reduce time and effort required to learn advanced and complex applications |
| Mobile Dashboard | 2006 | mobile access to critical business information |
| Safe | 2004 | Web based interactive driver training focusing Volvo core value safety |
| Nomadic Telematics | 2006 | Develop a low cost software platform, to host applications using existing telematics back office. |
| Trucker community | 2008 | animated community example with sample services |
| Text to speech | 2006 | Automatic conversion normal language text into human speech and rapidly decrease time to market. |
| TSP mobile | 2005 | Designed to give a comprehendible overview of large amounts of text data on a limited screen |
| Bus per mile | 2004 | How can online vehicle information be used to adress business challenges. |
| Wireless Multimedia Transfer | 2007 | how to wirelessly transfer/ push consumer data (music, maps,…) to a vehicle. |
| Disassembly | 2004 | Reuse of CAD models to create vivid 3D service instructions for workshop mechanics. |
| Quality Digital Pen & Paper | 2005 | Using digital pen and paper in quality/ product process to ensure easy online information entry. |
| Mobile RFID | 2004 | Using the mobile Nokia Field Force Solution at cross docking terminal in a practical set-up of mobile RFID in supply chain operation. |
| Rents Digital Pen & Paper | 2005 | Streamlining the return process by combining digital pen and paper usage in the field with mobile phone GPRS communication. |
| Genetic programming | 2005 | Using Genetic programming to improve Sales forecast and Optimise Unix operation. |
| Case-based reasoning | 2005 | Solve new diagnosis problems based on the expert solutions of similar past problems. |
| Hot spot guest access | 2005 | Provide a local web page with brand and local information as well as Internet access. |
| Virtual packaging | 2004 | Calculate how many articles that can be packed in a certain type of bin by using Catia/DMU files. |
| Visualization Customer Order Fulfilment | 2005 | address visualization needs related to sales and marketing processes. |