Collaborative Augmented Digital Twin: A Novel Open-Source Augmented Reality Solution for Training and Maintenance Processes in the Shipyard of the Future

Presented at the 4th XoveTIC Conference, A Coruña, Spain, 7–8 October 2021.[Abstract] Large companies use a lot of resources on workshop operator training and industrial machinery maintenance since the lack of this practice or its poor implementation increases the cost and risks of operating and handling sensitive and/or hazardous machinery. Industrial Augmented Reality (IAR), a major technology in the Industry 4.0 paradigm that may enhance worker performance, minimize hazards and improve manufacturing processes, could be beneficial in this situation. This paper presents an IAR solution that allows for visualizing and interacting with the digital twin of a critical system. Specifically, the augmented digital twin of an industrial cooler was developed. The proposed IAR system provides a dynamic way to perform operator training with a full-size model of the actual equipment and to provide step-by-step guidance so that maintenance processes can be performed more safely and efficiently. The proposed system also allows several users to use devices at the same time, creating a new type of collaborative interaction by viewing the model in the same place and state. Performance tests with many simultaneous users have been conducted, with response latency being measured as the number of connected users grows. Furthermore, the suggested IAR system has been thoroughly tested in a real-world industrial environment.This work was supported by the Plant Information and Augmented Reality research line of the Navantia-UDC Joint Research Unit (IN853B-2018/02). The authors would like to thank CITIC for its support. CITIC, a research center accredited by Galician University System, is funded by “Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Universidades from Xunta de Galicia”, with 80% of funds coming from ERDF Funds, ERDF Operational Programme Galicia 2014-2020, and the remaining 20% from “Secretaría Xeral de Universidades” (Grant ED431G 2019/01).Xunta de Galicia; IN853B-2018/02Xunta de Galicia; ED431G 2019/0

Comparative study of AR versus video tutorials for minor maintenance operations

[EN] Augmented Reality (AR) has become a mainstream technology in the development of solutions for repair and maintenance operations. Although most of the AR solutions are still limited to specific contexts in industry, some consumer electronics companies have started to offer pre-packaged AR solutions as alternative to video-based tutorials (VT) for minor maintenance operations. In this paper, we present a comparative study of the acquired knowledge and user perception achieved with AR and VT solutions in some maintenance tasks of IT equipment. The results indicate that both systems help users to acquire knowledge in various aspects of equipment maintenance. Although no statistically significant differences were found between AR and VT solutions, users scored higher on the AR version in all cases. Moreover, the users explicitly preferred the AR version when evaluating three different usability and satisfaction criteria. For the AR version, a strong and significant correlation was found between the satisfaction and the achieved knowledge. Since the AR solution achieved similar learning results with higher usability scores than the video-based tutorials, these results suggest that AR solutions are the most effective approach to substitute the typical paper-based instructions in consumer electronics.This work has been supported by Spanish MINECO and EU ERDF programs under grant RTI2018-098156-B-C55.Morillo, P.; García García, I.; Orduña, JM.; Fernández, M.; Juan, M. (2020). Comparative study of AR versus video tutorials for minor maintenance operations. Multimedia Tools and Applications. 79(11-12):7073-7100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-019-08437-9S707371007911-12Ahn J, Williamson J, Gartrell M, Han R, Lv Q, Mishra S (2015) Supporting healthy grocery shopping via mobile augmented reality. ACM Trans Multimedia Comput Commun Appl 12(1s):16:1–16:24. https://doi.org/10.1145/2808207Anderson TW (2011) Anderson–darling tests of goodness-of-fit. Springer, Berlin, pp 52–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04898-2_118Awad N, Lewandowski SE, Decker EW (2015) Event management system for facilitating user interactions at a venue. US Patent App. 14/829,382Azuma R (1997) A survey of augmented reality. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments 6(4):355–385Baird K, Barfield W (1999) Evaluating the effectiveness of augmented reality displays for a manual assembly task. Virtual Reality 4:250–259Ballo P (2018) Hardware and software for ar/vr development. In: Augmented and virtual reality in libraries, pp 45–55. LITA guidesBarrile V, Fotia A, Bilotta G (2018) Geomatics and augmented reality experiments for the cultural heritage. Applied Geomatics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12518-018-0231-5Billinghurst M, Duenser A (2012) Augmented reality in the classroom. Computer 45(7):56–63. https://doi.org/10.1109/MC.2012.111Bowman DA, McMahan RP (2007) Virtual reality: how much immersion is enough? Computer 40(7)Brown TA (2015) Confirmatory factor analysis for applied research. Guilford PublicationsDodge Y. (ed) (2008) Kruskal-Wallis test. Springer, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-32833-1_216Elmunsyah H, Hidayat WN, Asfani K (2019) Interactive learning media innovation: utilization of augmented reality and pop-up book to improve user’s learning autonomy. J Phys Conf Ser 1193(012):031. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1193/1/012031Entertainment L (2017) Dolphin Player. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.broov.player. Online; Accessed 09-September-2017Fletcher J, Belanich J, Moses F, Fehr A, Moss J (2017) Effectiveness of augmented reality & augmented virtuality. In: MODSIM Modeling & simulation of systems and applications) world conferenceFraga-Lamas P, Fernández-Caramés TM, Blanco-Novoa O, Vilar-Montesinos MA (2018) A review on industrial augmented reality systems for the industry 4.0 shipyard. IEEE Access 6:13,358–13,375. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2018.2808326Furió D, Juan MC, Seguí I, Vivó R (2015) Mobile learning vs. traditional classroom lessons: a comparative study. J Comput Assist Learn 31(3):189–201. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12071Gavish N, Gutiérrez T, Webel S, Rodríguez J, Peveri M, Bockholt U, Tecchia F (2015) Evaluating virtual reality and augmented reality training for industrial maintenance and assembly tasks. Interact Learn Environ 23(6):778–798. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2013.815221Gimeno J, Morillo P, Orduña JM, Fernández M (2013) A new ar authoring tool using depth maps for industrial procedures. Comput Ind 64(9):1263–1271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2013.06.012Holzinger A, Kickmeier-Rust MD, Albert D (2008) Dynamic media in computer science education; content complexity and learning performance: is less more? Educational Technology & Society 11(1):279–290Hornbaek K (2013) Some whys and hows of experiments in human–computer interaction. Foundations and TrendsⓇ in Human–Computer Interaction 5(4):299–373. https://doi.org/10.1561/1100000043Huang J, Liu S, Xing J, Mei T, Yan S (2014) Circle & search: Attribute-aware shoe retrieval. ACM Trans Multimedia Comput Commun Appl 11 (1):3:1–3:21. https://doi.org/10.1145/2632165Jiang S, Wu Y, Fu Y (2018) Deep bidirectional cross-triplet embedding for online clothing shopping. ACM Trans Multimedia Comput Commun Appl 14(1):5:1–5:22. https://doi.org/10.1145/3152114Kim SK, Kang SJ, Choi YJ, Choi MH, Hong M (2017) Augmented-reality survey: from concept to application. KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems 11:982–1004. https://doi.org/10.3837/tiis.2017.02.019Langlotz T, Zingerle M, Grasset R, Kaufmann H, Reitmayr G (2012) Ar record&replay: Situated compositing of video content in mobile augmented reality. In: Proceedings of the 24th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference, OzCHI ’12. ACM, New York, pp 318–326, DOI https://doi.org/10.1145/2414536.2414588, (to appear in print)Martin-SanJose JF, Juan MC, Mollá R, Vivó R (2017) Advanced displays and natural user interfaces to support learning. Interact Learn Environ 25(1):17–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2015.1090455Massey FJ (1951) The kolmogorov-Smirnov test for goodness of fit. J Am Stat Assoc 46(253):68–78van der Meij H, van der Meij J, Voerman T, Duipmans E (2018) Supporting motivation, task performance and retention in video tutorials for software training. Educ Technol Res Dev 66(3):597–614. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-017-9560-zvan der Meij J, van der Meij H (2015) A test of the design of a video tutorial for software training. J Comput Assist Learn 31 (2):116–132. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12082Mestre LS (2012) Student preference for tutorial design: a usability study. Ref Serv Rev 40(2):258–276. https://doi.org/10.1108/00907321211228318Mohr P, Kerbl B, Donoser M, Schmalstieg D, Kalkofen D (2015) Retargeting technical documentation to augmented reality. In: Proceedings of the 33rd annual ACM conference on human factors in computing systems, CHI ’15. ACM, New York, pp 3337–3346, DOI https://doi.org/10.1145/2702123.2702490, (to appear in print)Mohr P, Mandl D, Tatzgern M, Veas E, Schmalstieg D, Kalkofen D (2017) Retargeting video tutorials showing tools with surface contact to augmented reality. In: Proceedings of the 2017 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems, CHI ’17. ACM, New York, pp 6547–6558, DOI https://doi.org/10.1145/3025453.3025688, (to appear in print)Montgomery DC, Runger GC (2003) Applied statistics and probability for engineers. Wiley, New YorkMorillo P, Orduña JM, Casas S, Fernández M (2019) A comparison study of ar applications versus pseudo-holographic systems as virtual exhibitors for luxury watch retail stores. Multimedia Systems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00530-019-00606-yMorse JM (2000) Determining sample size. Qual Health Res 10(1):3–5. https://doi.org/10.1177/104973200129118183Muñoz-Montoya F, Juan M, Mendez-Lopez M, Fidalgo C (2019) Augmented reality based on slam to assess spatial short-term memory. IEEE Access 7:2453–2466. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2018.2886627Neuhäuser M (2011) Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test. Springer, Berlin, pp 1656–1658Neumann U, Majoros A (1998) Cognitive, performance, and systems issues for augmented reality applications in manufacturing and maintenance. In: Inproceedings of the IEEE virtual reality annual international symposium (VR ’98), pp 4–11no JJA, Juan MC, Gil-Gómez JA, Mollá R. (2014) A comparative study using an autostereoscopic display with augmented and virtual reality. Behaviour & Information Technology 33(6):646–655. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2013.815277Palmarini R, Erkoyuncu JA, Roy R, Torabmostaedi H (2018) A systematic review of augmented reality applications in maintenance. Robot Comput Integr Manuf 49:215–228Quint F, Loch F (2015) Using smart glasses to document maintenance processes. Mensch und Computer 2015–WorkshopbandRadkowski R, Herrema J, Oliver J (2015) Augmented reality-based manual assembly support with visual features for different degrees of difficulty. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction 31(5):337–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2014.994194Regenbrecht H, Schubert T (2002) Measuring presence in augmented reality environments: design and a first test of a questionnaire, Porto, PortugalRobertson J (2012) Likert-type scales, statistical methods, and effect sizes. Commun ACM 55(5):6–7. https://doi.org/10.1145/2160718.2160721Rodríguez-Andrés D, Juan MC, Méndez-López M, Pérez-Hernández E, Lluch J (2016) Mnemocity task: Assessment of childrens spatial memory using stereoscopy and virtual environments. PLos ONE 1(8). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161858Sanna A, Manuri F, Lamberti F, Paravati G, Pezzolla P (2015) Using handheld devices to support augmented reality-based maintenance and assembly tasks. In: 2015 IEEE International conference on consumer electronics (ICCE), pp. 178–179. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCE.2015.7066370Schmidt S, Ehrenbrink P, Weiss B, Voigt-Antons J, Kojic T, Johnston A, Moller S (2018) Impact of virtual environments on motivation and engagement during exergames. In: 2018 Tenth international conference on quality of multimedia experience (qoMEX), pp 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/QoMEX.2018.8463389Shapiro SS, Wilk MB (1965) An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika 52(3/4):591–611Tang A, Owen C, Biocca F, Mou W (2003) Comparative effectiveness of augmented reality in object assembly. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on human factors in computing systems, CHI ’03. ACM, New York, pp 73–80, DOI https://doi.org/10.1145/642611.642626, (to appear in print)Tomás JM, Oliver A, Galiana L, Sancho P, Lila M (2013) Explaining method effects associated with negatively worded items in trait and state global and domain-specific self-esteem scales. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal 20(2):299–313. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705511.2013.769394Uva AE, Gattullo M, Manghisi VM, Spagnulo D, Cascella GL, Fiorentino M (2017) Evaluating the effectiveness of spatial augmented reality in smart manufacturing: a solution for manual working stations. The Int J Adv Manuf Technol: 1–13Wang X, Ong SK, Nee AYC (2016) A comprehensive survey of augmented reality assembly research. Advances in Manufacturing 4(1):1–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40436-015-0131-4Westerfield G, Mitrovic A, Billinghurst M (2015) Intelligent augmented reality training for motherboard assembly. Int J Artif Intell Educ 25(1):157–172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-014-0032-xWiedenmaier S, Oehme O, Schmidt L, Luczak H (2003) Augmented reality (ar) for assembly processes - design and experimental evaluation. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction 16(3):497–514Witmer BG, Singer MJ (1998) Measuring presence in virtual environments: a presence questionnaire. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments 7(3):225–240Wu HK, Lee SWY, Chang HY, Liang JC (2013) Current status, opportunities and challenges of augmented reality in education. Computers & Education 62:41–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.10.024Yim MYC, Chu SC, Sauer PL (2017) Is augmented reality technology an effective tool for e-commerce? an interactivity and vividness perspective. Journal of Interactive Marketing 39(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1094996817300336):89–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2017.04.001Yuan ML, Ong SK, Nee AYC (2008) Augmented reality for assembly guidance using a virtual interactive tool. Int J Prod Res 46(7):1745–1767. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020754060097293

Continuous maintenance and the future – Foundations and technological challenges

High value and long life products require continuous maintenance throughout their life cycle to achieve required performance with optimum through-life cost. This paper presents foundations and technologies required to offer the maintenance service. Component and system level degradation science, assessment and modelling along with life cycle ‘big data’ analytics are the two most important knowledge and skill base required for the continuous maintenance. Advanced computing and visualisation technologies will improve efficiency of the maintenance and reduce through-life cost of the product. Future of continuous maintenance within the Industry 4.0 context also identifies the role of IoT, standards and cyber security

Internet of robotic things : converging sensing/actuating, hypoconnectivity, artificial intelligence and IoT Platforms

The Internet of Things (IoT) concept is evolving rapidly and influencing newdevelopments in various application domains, such as the Internet of MobileThings (IoMT), Autonomous Internet of Things (A-IoT), Autonomous Systemof Things (ASoT), Internet of Autonomous Things (IoAT), Internetof Things Clouds (IoT-C) and the Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) etc.that are progressing/advancing by using IoT technology. The IoT influencerepresents new development and deployment challenges in different areassuch as seamless platform integration, context based cognitive network integration,new mobile sensor/actuator network paradigms, things identification(addressing, naming in IoT) and dynamic things discoverability and manyothers. The IoRT represents new convergence challenges and their need to be addressed, in one side the programmability and the communication ofmultiple heterogeneous mobile/autonomous/robotic things for cooperating,their coordination, configuration, exchange of information, security, safetyand protection. Developments in IoT heterogeneous parallel processing/communication and dynamic systems based on parallelism and concurrencyrequire new ideas for integrating the intelligent “devices”, collaborativerobots (COBOTS), into IoT applications. Dynamic maintainability, selfhealing,self-repair of resources, changing resource state, (re-) configurationand context based IoT systems for service implementation and integrationwith IoT network service composition are of paramount importance whennew “cognitive devices” are becoming active participants in IoT applications.This chapter aims to be an overview of the IoRT concept, technologies,architectures and applications and to provide a comprehensive coverage offuture challenges, developments and applications

Active learning based laboratory towards engineering education 4.0

Universities have a relevant and essential key role to ensure knowledge and development of competencies in the current fourth industrial revolution called Industry 4.0. The Industry 4.0 promotes a set of digital technologies to allow the convergence between the information technology and the operation technology towards smarter factories. Under such new framework, multiple initiatives are being carried out worldwide as response of such evolution, particularly, from the engineering education point of view. In this regard, this paper introduces the initiative that is being carried out at the Technical University of Catalonia, Spain, called Industry 4.0 Technologies Laboratory, I4Tech Lab. The I4Tech laboratory represents a technological environment for the academic, research and industrial promotion of related technologies. First, in this work, some of the main aspects considered in the definition of the so called engineering education 4.0 are discussed. Next, the proposed laboratory architecture, objectives as well as considered technologies are explained. Finally, the basis of the proposed academic method supported by an active learning approach is presented.Postprint (published version