A Context and Augmented Reality BPMN and BPMS Extension for Industrial Internet of Things Processes

Abstract

In the context of Industry 4.0, smart factories enable a new level of highly individualized and very efficient production, driven by highly automated processes and connected Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices. Yet the IIoT process context, crucial for operational process enactment, cannot be readily represented in processes as currently modeled. Despite automation progress, manual tasks performed by humans (such as maintenance) remain, and while complicated tasks can be supported by Augmented Reality (AR) devices, they remain insufficiently integrated into global production processes. To seamlessly integrate process automation, IIoT context, and AR, this paper contributes BPMN-CARX, a Context and Augmented Reality eXtension (CARX) for BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) and the CARX Framework, which enables AR and IIoT context integration with existing Business Process Management Systems (BPMSs). An Industry 4.0 case study demonstrates its feasibility and applicability.