Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Augmented, Reality, Goggles, Marines, Repairs | Themes: Software, Smartphones
Image the money you'll save by slipping on AR goggles and fixing the car!
How much quicker would it be to repair a motor with a little AI-controlled assistance? Rather than fumbling with manuals or removing the wrong part, augmented-reality (AR) goggles could show exactly what part to remove, and how to do it. While that may sound a little like science-fiction, it's now become science fact thanks to research performed by the Columbia University.
Technology Review reports that the University has indeed created a new AR system that can assist in the described manner, and is currently being tested by Marine mechanics. The idea is to help the mechanics find and begin maintenance in the field (mostly on light armored vehicles) and cut the repair time in half. Currently Marines must refer to technical manuals on laptops while performing maintenance or repairs.
According to the article, the user wears a set of goggles with the built-in AR system. This system provides user assistance by displaying 3D arrows pointing to the relevant component. The system also displays text instructions, floating labels and warnings, and the appropriate tools rendered as 3D, animated models. An Android-powered smartphone is also incorporated into the system, providing touchscreen controls for pulling up the next set of instructions.
"The idea was to present a user with the "information they need to find and fix problems in a way that is going to be more efficient and accurate," said Steven Feiner, a professor of computer science and director of the Computer Graphics and User Interfaces Laboratory at Columbia. It's hoped that the technology will eventually shift over to car mechanics, and then eventually to consumers.
See the goggles in action by checking out a video demonstration here.
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Please pay attention to those spelling mistakes. 'Image the..' = Imagine the..
But still, this is great. It is true that everyone probably once has had a time in which they thought, "I wish I could have a pair of glasses that showed me how to fix this!" Great progress being made!
Image that... someday.. we can rent a goggle from HomeDepot, Bestbuy, or something.. and use that to repair our electronics, cars, or home improvments... with VR instructions. No more flipping to page 356 or instructions!
Though it really sounds liek a dream/sci-fi, hopefully these will become reality in a near future!
Good job!
Image the money? Here, I'll do your simple editing for you... "IMAGINE."
Sorry, I won't bother reading the rest of your article. Next time take the two minutes to edit your own article before you lose all credibility. If it didn't happen so often I would brush it off but it's a constant thing.
Here's a few editing tips since you seem to be having trouble:
1. Read your article out loud to yourself before you submit it.
2. Email it to a single co-worker to read.
or maybe kevin meant image it, as in get an image (of piles of money presumably, or a swag bag with a big dollar symbol) with a pair of augmented reality glasses. sound plausible?
oh yeah, and the goggles look pretty neat. just wait till they shrink the size till they look like normal glasses, so many possibilities...
Interesting coverage. A similar system was evaluated by the military a number of years ago and tried by some airlines for aircraft repair. It never caught on, but it was an actual product companies could buy as far as I'm aware. (Microvision made it, called the nomad system. They still make heads up displays for the military and are trying to commercialize their technology.)
It's not exactly accurate to say that it is "now" becoming science fact. More accurate to say there is now a competiting tech (the tech Microvision used came from the University of Washington). I had invested in Microvision at one point so I know they have a number of patents -- not sure if the new systems are different enough.
Nonetheless it's nice to see more work in wearable displays.
Hasn't Honda been using this for a couple of years already? I recall a news article where they were quoting something like a 40% reduction in time spent on repairs due to using this in their workshops in Japan.
Why stop at just cars?
This would be great for couples who always argue. When they start yelling at each other, just put the goggles on and it gives them the "information they need to find and fix problems in a way that is going to be more efficient and accurate".
ZOmg WOW!!
what amazes me is how do they line up the 3d with what the viewer sees? are there visual cues or does the computer just know what 3d objects look like?
Well.... at any rate this cuts down on repair overhead and makes mechanics more versatile. course too much reliance on such technology can impair in real combat situations.
Example, How many of us use a spell checker frequently or use a calculator for addition and subtraction?
Why stop at just cars?This would be great for couples who always argue. When they start yelling at each other, just put the goggles on and it gives them the "information they need to find and fix problems in a way that is going to be more efficient and accurate".
When it comes to arguing though, women are almost completely illogical. I doubt any computer could ever be programmed to anticipate these kinds of things. For instance, I can see an arguement about you being late for something turning into an arguement about your Aunts cats or something being mauve instead of red, and the goggles flip out because it cant follow the logic in the arguement and begins to breakdown flashing up things like "Does not compute".. Although, I guess if you used it enough and it has tracked enough arguments, it could warn you that what you are now saying is going to cause your woman to bring up a point from an arguement that you lost 5 years ago.
Wow, the future is near! Well, here. Well, it's already past now. Anyway, you get what I mean.
When it comes to arguing though, women are almost completely illogical. I doubt any computer could ever be programmed to anticipate these kinds of things. For instance, I can see an arguement about you being late for something turning into an arguement about your Aunts cats or something being mauve instead of red, and the goggles flip out because it cant follow the logic in the arguement and begins to breakdown flashing up things like "Does not compute".. Although, I guess if you used it enough and it has tracked enough arguments, it could warn you that what you are now saying is going to cause your woman to bring up a point from an arguement that you lost 5 years ago.
You better hope Jane doesn't read that...
Sounds amazing. Having work instructions virtually in front of you would save massive amounts of time.