Project description
Augmented reality technology (AR), makes it possible to enter digital information into your physical environment using digital glasses or information overlays over video. In maritime operations, a user must control advanced equipment at the same time as he or she monitors what is happening outside the ship's bridge. It is likely that AR technology can make such operations safer by reducing the time a user needs to look away from their environment to use digital systems.
AR is developing rapidly, but the technology is still immature in the maritime sector and there is a lack of knowledge about how AR can be safely used by industry. To solve this problem, we are exploring how to develop user-friendly, secure and efficient AR support for advanced maritime operations. OpenAR has established infrastructure to design augmented reality user interfaces on a distributed platform for VR collaboration.
The platform is based on results from the OpenVR research project. The platform has been expanded to make it possible to connect 2D design tools directly to display surfaces in a VR representation of maritime operations. We have established a VR twin of several ships where we can sketch AR interfaces in many workplaces. An AR navigation demonstrator has also been established which has been tested on a ship.
During the project OpenAR released the first open-source design guideline for AR supported navigation. It has been released as an extension of the OpenBridge maritime design guideline, which is in use all over the world. The guidelines have already been taken up by industry and are currently used in development for video overlays in remote operation centers, head up displays, projected displays on ships windows and video overlays on ships. The current solutions cover navigation. Further releases will cover support for maneuvering.
