Use Case of the Application of the Optical-See-Through Augmented Reality Technology in the Engineering Context

摘要

Augmented Reality (AR) is the technology that enables the overlaying of physical objects with computer-generated virtual perceptible data in real time to provide an interactive user experience in the real environment. The potential of this technology to digitize and to improve the different engineering processes (e.g. manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, training) are apparent. Therefore, the application of AR in the engineering area has gained in importance in the recent years. This development can also be observed in the high-tech industry, companies like Microsoft, Google and Apple have intensified their efforts to develop new AR software and hardware. One of the important methods of AR is optical-see-through technology. The optical see-through AR enable the display of the virtual content on a transparent projection surface with the advantage that the users can at the same time perceive the real environment directly with their own eyes. This paper presents two use cases for the implementation of AR applications using the optical see-through technology and the HoloLens as an AR device. The first use case addresses the application of AR for Pick-by-Light assisted assembly process. The second use case deals with the use of AR for the implementation of a control application for robot shelving system. The experiences gathered during the performance of these use cases and the evaluation of the applicability of the optical see-through technology in the engineering field will be discussed in this paper. This presented work has an experimental character and rather than a fundamental research. The developed AR applications were implemented as a prototype by the students of the University of Applied Silences Karlsruhe during the AR laboratory. The gained knowledge in this work can be considered as suggestions for further research works.