Kognitiv Spark

A Bright Spark – Fredericton company’s unique product in high demand during COVID-19

October 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many obstacles and challenges to businesses and organizations across all sectors. However, in the midst of these readjustments, Fredericton-based startup and ACOA client Kognitiv Spark has encountered something else as well – an increased demand for its flagship product, RemoteSpark.

The name says it all – RemoteSpark is a secure and reliable remote support tool designed to connect on-the-ground technicians and engineers with subject matter experts through holographic visualization, facilitating repairs and maintenance. Whether the industry is energy and utilities, industrial engineering, aerospace and defence, or nuclear, the RemoteSpark technology helps to address complex issues and repairs in a matter of minutes. The client simply uses the Microsoft Hololens to establish a video call with an expert on a Windows 10 device. The expert then guides the repair either verbally or by dropping 3D holograms, photos, and metrics into the worker’s field of view.

With its wide range of applications, RemoteSpark has become a hot commodity in the midst of COVID-19, helping companies continue operations in the safest manner possible. In recent months, Kognitiv Spark has seen a massive surge in interest and product uptake, from both current clients and new sectors, including healthcare and essential services. "We’re very lucky, in the sense that our technology caters incredibly well to the types of challenges that companies around the world are now facing," stated Sean McCullum, Marketing Manager at Kognitiv Spark.

Duncan McSporran, Co-Founder and COO, elaborated: "One of the things that has really surprised us has been the number of use cases that have materialized in a wide variety of sectors. We’ve had different healthcare workers and organizations approach us about RemoteSpark, because this technology could really reduce the consumption of PPE and reduce the requirements of person-to-person contact in hospitals." In fact, the company even received feedback from the federal Minister of Health’s office that they would see the value of having a RemoteSpark system in every hospital in Canada.

Alongside new sectors on the horizon, RemoteSpark has continued to facilitate remote work within the traditional sectors that they serve. The testimonials from Kognitiv Spark’s clients clearly reflect how significant this technology has been in facilitating safe, efficient, and consistent operations for businesses during COVID-19.

SurePoint Group – a premier industrial contractor based in Calgary servicing oil and gas companies among other industries – adopted the RemoteSpark system into their workplace shortly before the pandemic hit, looking to eliminate the high travel costs and downtime associated with flying in a senior technician to solve a specific issue. Now, according to their Director of Technology and Innovation, over 60% of these calls can be resolved through the Hololens, saving thousands of dollars and allowing for operations to continue while abiding by social distancing and travel regulations. The satisfaction of clients like Surepoint is a testament to Kognitiv Spark’s innovation, creativity, and collaborative focus.

McSporran emphasized the importance of the support that their company receives from ACOA and affiliated organizations, such as ACADA (Atlantic Canada Aerospace and Defence): "There’s not a week that goes past that we’re not leaning very significantly on either a direct ACOA team member or someone through ACOA who is there to support us as a small business. Especially during this challenging time, it’s been really impactful."

The unique technology that Kognitiv Spark offers is internationally recognized, serving clients over six continents. Both prior to and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has been providing a solution allowing businesses to thrive, showcasing the level of entrepreneurial excellence that exists here in Atlantic Canada.