par Virgil dynamics
In the realm of modern industrial processes, control room environments play a pivotal role in managing intricate operations. The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) technology presents a transformative opportunity to revolutionize how operators interact with data, equipment, and their operational surroundings. This proposal outlines a comprehensive project aimed at developing and implementing an AR solution tailored to control room situations, with a focus on improving situational awareness, data visualization, decision-making, and remote collaboration.
The project’s objective is to design, develop, and deploy a customized AR system that augments control room operations across diverse industries. By seamlessly overlaying real-time data streams, critical information, and expert (human or algorithms) guidance onto operators’ field of view, the AR system aims to alleviate cognitive load, enhance decision-making processes, and facilitate remote collaboration. Through iterative design, rigorous testing, and user-centered development, the project seeks to establish AR as a transformative tool, poised to redefine the efficiency, safety, and collaborative potential of control room environments.
As a case study for the control room situation, geothermal drilling will be considered. Geothermal drilling, as an intricate and geologically sensitive operation, requires precise monitoring, data interpretation, and rapid decision-making. The goal is to streamline geothermal drilling operations, enhance safety, and increase operational efficiency. This project seeks to establish a precedent for integrating AR into geothermal drilling and inspire the adoption of similar technologies in other sectors.
Problem Statement: The overarching idea of this project is to develop an AR-based based solution that can be applied in the control room situation. A control room environment is a centralized space equipped with advanced technological systems and tools designed to monitor, manage, and control various processes, operations, and activities within a specific industry or organization. Control rooms are essential in industries where real-time monitoring, data analysis, and decision-making play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth functioning, safety, and efficiency of complex systems. These are found in various industries, including but not limited to energy (power plants), transportation (air traffic control, railway networks), and manufacturing (factory automation).
Using AR-based solutions in control room situations offers a multitude of benefits and improvements that can significantly enhance the efficiency, safety, and overall effectiveness of operations. Some of the aspects addressed by this project are as follows:
Real-time data visualization: AR can display complex data, such as sensor readings, operational parameters, and performance metrics, in an intuitive and visual manner. This helps operators quickly identify trends, anomalies, and critical information, enabling them to make timely adjustments and respond to emergencies more effectively. Reduced cognitive load: Control room operators often deal with vast amounts of information. AR can reduce the cognitive overload by presenting relevant information in a spatial context, reducing the need for operators to mentally switch between screens and references. Enhanced user experience: AR interfaces can be tailored to suit specific tasks and user preferences, providing an engaging and interactive user experience.
Example: A cockpit of a spacecraft used in crewed missions is one of the best examples of a control room situations. It is a high-risk, safety critical and expensive operation to manoeuver a spacecraft. The launching sequence and standard manoeuvers in space are continuously improved by its on-board control systems and through updates from the control centre on earth. As shown in Figure 1, the evolution of cockpit of a spacecraft used in crewed missions shows the technological progress in the user interface for safety-critical operations and as the next step, NASA is already using AR for their astronauts on board and for their training.