Description of scenario
Mixed Reality applications get a significant momentum in a wide spectrum of business cases including on-spot training, building information modelling, inspection and quality control, CAD visualisation, as well as other commercial applications. Such solutions are offered by one of the partners of the consortium, Holo Light (AR workspace, AR/VR/MR input device for head-mounted-displays, 3D visualisation of simulation files in AR). The goal of this use case is to enhance the capabilities of the AR/VR/MR solutions by coupling them with edge computing technologies and the corresponding load allocation and optimisation tools, in order to provide high level services in industrial environments. More specifically, the industrial environment which will run the pilots of this use case is the one provided by FILL. FILL occupies a key role in process automation and data organisation for complex manufacturing facilities and has the necessary human resources and infrastructure to implement automated production lines. In particular, the use case will focus on three case studies integrating machine data into MR interfaces and optimising them via edge computing technology:
- Collaborating in Fast Prototyping: this approach specializes in providing optimal representation along the value chain, by transforming a variety of file formats into three-dimensional holograms for Holo-Light’s CAD viewer. The biggest advantage of this method arises when it is combined with Remote Rendering through edge computing.
- Assisting in Manufacturing and Service & Utility procedures: benefits arise from the aggregation of information on a 3D model (e.g. for diagnosing problems on complex machines and displaying repair instructions etc.)
- Enhancing Training & Interaction: industrial environments define very clear guidelines when it comes to work processes. Holo-Light created a training case which transfers knowledge in a playful manner. This not only reduces cost and time expenditures, but also improves employees’ training.
Holo-Light offers the following solutions, which will be utilised in Pledger:
- Holo-View: 3D CAD visualisation software for collaborative Augmented Reality sessions.
- Holo-Stylus (Winner in 2018 of the “German Innovation Award” and the “Auggie Award” for the best input device at Augmented World Expo in Santa Clara): AR/VR/MR input device for head-mounted-displays for precise marking, highlighting, exact measurements of objects and more.
- Holo-Simulate: 3D visualisation of simulation files in Augmented Reality. The AR-workspace is extended through experiencing your simulation data in Mixed Reality.
Pledger Benefits and Impact
By successfully utilising the full potential of edge/fog/cloud technologies and the corresponding available infrastructure, Pledger will enable the stakeholders in this use case to achieve even faster and more powerful visualisation of 3D CAD models, display 3D models of even higher performance in real world environments, offer the possibility of secure upload of confidential data, and enhance the experience of MR collaborative sessions and enable people work with components and assembly groups. All these will result in cost-effectiveness, reduction of current cycle times, simplification and standardisation of the working process, and faster and more highly intuitive training processes for new workers, while requiring less resources.
