Changing manual manufacturing: Operator augmentation with InspecVision’s GAV System

For decades, automation has revolutionised mass production, accelerating throughput, enhancing consistency, and lowering costs. Yet, the same advancements haven’t been equally applied to manual operations, which continue to rely on outdated tools and practices. Enter InspecVision’s GAV (Guidance & verification) system. This cutting-edge solution finally bridges this technological gap, bringing the benefits of augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and 4D vision to the manual workstation.

About GAV: A new era of AI-powered guidance & verification

The GAV system by InspecVision is a self-contained, intelligent unit designed to assist human operators by guiding and verifying manual tasks in real time. Capable of seeing in 2D, 3D, and 4D, the GAV system observes, learns, instructs, and verifies manual processes with unmatched precision.

At the core of the GAV system is a powerful AI engine that learns by watching operators perform tasks. As the operator completes each step, the system captures and analyses their movements, generating detailed, step-by-step work instructions. These instructions are then projected back onto the workstation using Augmented Reality (AR),accompanied by a time-lapse video overlay of the original demonstration.

This closed-loop system doesn’t just guide—it also verifies. By scanning the operator’s progress in 3D, the GAV system ensures that every step is performed correctly. With comprehensive traceability in 2D, 3D, and 4D, the result is not just smarter work but validated performance with digital certainty.

Challenge: Bridging the automation gap in manual tasks

Across various sectors, including electronics, aerospace, and general manufacturing, manual processes remain crucial. However, they are also prone to human error, inconsistencies, and quality drift—especially when instructions are paper-based or poorly visualised. As industries embrace digital transformation, there’s been a pressing need to modernise these manual operations without losing the flexibility and adaptability that human workers bring.

This challenge becomes more acute in high-mix, low-volume environments where traditional automation is not cost-effective. Headland Technology recognised the opportunity to introduce InspecVision’s GAV system to clients looking to improve quality, training, and operational consistency without full robotic automation.

Solution: How GAV enables augmented manual production

The GAV system was engineered specifically for environments where precision, flexibility, and repeatability are key but where traditional automation falls short. It seamlessly integrates guidance, training, and real-time verification into a single solution.

Key benefits:

• Operator training: GAV creates re-usable digital training programs from live demonstrations, allowing new operators to learn at their own pace with high accuracy.
• AR work instructions: Instructions are projected directly onto the workspace—no need for physical documents or monitors.
• 4D traceability: Every step is recorded and verifiable, giving supervisors and quality managers unprecedented insights into manual processes.
• Multi-industry applications: From electrical assembly (e.g., validating part placement on mounting plates) to manual and robotic welding, sheet metal inserts, PCB population, and aircraft interiors, the GAV system enhances quality across diverse sectors.
• Error reduction: Real-time feedback helps operators correct mistakes immediately, reducing scrap, rework, and downtime.

Implementation: Seamless integration into workspaces

One of GAV’s strengths is its flexible deployment options. The system can be:

• Mounted overhead for permanent workstations
• Positioned on a tripod for mobile use (ideal for large assemblies like aircraft interiors)
• Integrated with existing digital tools using simple network, HDMI, and USB connections. The unit includes a built-in projector, camera, and PC, while interactions are streamlined using a foot pedal for hands-free operation. Programming can be done via keyboard, mouse, or wirelessly via a tablet—making it accessible to both operators and engineers.

While CAD data can be used for task training, the GAV system thrives on real-world demonstrations, ensuring a high-fidelity replication of manual processes that reflects actual production nuances.

Looking ahead: Digital assistance for human excellence

As Australian and New Zealand manufacturers continue to innovate and compete globally, technologies like GAV provide a compelling path forward. Rather than replacing operators, GAV augments them—improving outcomes, accelerating training, and creating an ecosystem of traceable, high-quality manual work.

With Headland Technology’s guidance and support, manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand can now be empowered to bring precision, consistency, and accountability to manual operations—finally closing the digital divide between automated and human-driven processes.

If you’re looking to enhance your workforce, reduce errors, and digitise manual production, our experts at Headland Technology are ready to help you explore how InspecVision’s GAV system can work in your environment.