Augmented Reality with Industrial Process Tomography: To Support Complex Data Analysis in 3D Space

Today, in-situ analyzing and monitoring are imperative for ensuring successful and healthy industrial processes in confined environments. With the rapid development of digitization, augmented reality (AR) has been utilized for letting people immersively interact with the necessary information. However, there are still knowledge gaps between AR technique and domain users pertaining to effective analysis of complex data. Hence, new solutions empowering domain users would benefit the whole industry. In this study, we report an initial prototype supporting complex data visualization and analysis in entire 3D surroundings within industrial process tomography (IPT). Microsoft HoloLens 2 is equipped for users to interact with the 3D information characterizing the workflow of the industrial process with high immersion. Our work distinctly improves the performance compared to existing solutions, pointing the way towards how AR should be deployed and developed more efficiently for aiding IPT systems

Playing with Data: An Augmented Reality Approach to Interact with Visualizations of Industrial Process Tomography

Industrial process tomography (IPT) is a specialized imaging technique widely used in industrial scenarios for process supervision and control. Today, augmented/mixed reality (AR/MR) is increasingly being adopted in many industrial occasions, even though there is still an obvious gap when it comes to IPT. To bridge this gap, we propose the first systematic AR approach using optical see-through (OST) head mounted displays (HMDs) with comparative evaluation for domain users towards IPT visualization analysis. The proof-of-concept was demonstrated by a within-subject user study (n=20) with counterbalancing design. Both qualitative and quantitative measurements were investigated. The results showed that our AR approach outperformed conventional settings for IPT data visualization analysis in bringing higher understandability, reduced task completion time, lower error rates for domain tasks, increased usability with enhanced user experience, and a better recommendation level. We summarize the findings and suggest future research directions for benefiting IPT users with AR/MR

Supporting visualization analysis in industrial process tomography by using augmented reality—A case study of an industrial microwave drying system

Industrial process tomography (IPT) based process control is an advisable approach in industrial heating processes for improving system efficiency and quality. When using it, appropriate dataflow pipelines and visualizations are key for domain users to implement precise data acquisition and analysis. In this article, we propose a complete data processing and visualizing workflow regarding a specific case—microwave tomography (MWT) controlled industrial microwave drying system. Furthermore, we present the up-to-date augmented reality (AR) technique to support the corresponding data visualization and on-site analysis. As a pioneering study of using AR to benefit IPT systems, the proposed AR module provides straightforward and comprehensible visualizations pertaining to the process data to the related users. Inside the dataflow of the case, a time reversal imaging algorithm, a post-imaging segmentation, and a volumetric visualization module are included. For the time reversal algorithm, we exhaustively introduce each step for MWT image reconstruction and then present the simulated results. For the post-imaging segmentation, an automatic tomographic segmentation algorithm is utilized to reveal the significant information contained in the reconstructed images. For volumetric visualization, the 3D generated information is displayed. Finally, the proposed AR system is integrated with the on-going process data, including reconstructed, segmented, and volumetric images, which are used for facilitating interactive on-site data analysis for domain users. The central part of the AR system is implemented by a mobile app that is currently supported on iOS/Android platforms

From Industry to Practice: Can Users Tackle Domain Tasks with Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality (AR) is a cutting-edge interactive technology. While Virtual Reality (VR) is based on completely virtual and immersive environments, AR superimposes virtual objects onto the real world. The value of AR has been demonstrated and applied within numerous industrial application areas due to its capability of providing interactive interfaces of visualized digital content. AR can provide functional tools that support users in undertaking domain-related tasks, especially facilitating them in data visualization and interaction by jointly augmenting physical space and user perception. Making effective use of the advantages of AR, especially the ability which augment human vision to help users perform different domain-related tasks is the central part of my PhD research.Industrial process tomography (IPT), as a non-intrusive and commonly-used imaging technique, has been effectively harnessed in many manufacturing components for inspections, monitoring, product quality control, and safety issues. IPT underpins and facilitates the extraction of qualitative and quantitative data regarding the related industrial processes, which is usually visualized in various ways for users to understand its nature, measure the critical process characteristics, and implement process control in a complete feedback network. The adoption of AR in benefiting IPT and its related fields is currently still scarce, resulting in a gap between AR technique and industrial applications. This thesis establishes a bridge between AR practitioners and IPT users by accomplishing four stages. First of these is a need-finding study of how IPT users can harness AR technique was developed. Second, a conceptualized AR framework, together with the implemented mobile AR application developed in an optical see-through (OST) head-mounted display (HMD) was proposed. Third, the complete approach for IPT users interacting with tomographic visualizations as well as the user study was investigated.Based on the shared technologies from industry, we propose and examine an AR approach for visual search tasks providing visual hints, audio hints, and gaze-assisted instant post-task feedback as the fourth stage. The target case was a book-searching task, in which we aimed to explore the effect of the hints and the feedback with two hypotheses: that both visual and audio hints can positively affect AR search tasks whilst the combination outperforms the individuals; that instant post-task feedback can positively affect AR search tasks. The proof-of-concept was demonstrated by an AR app in an HMD with a two-stage user evaluation. The first one was a pilot study (n=8) where the impact of the visual hint in benefiting search task performance was identified. The second was a comprehensive user study (n=96) consisting of two sub-studies, Study I (n=48) and Study II (n=48). Following quantitative and qualitative analysis, our results partially verified the first hypothesis and completely verified the second, enabling us to conclude that the synthesis of visual and audio hints conditionally improves AR search task efficiency when coupled with task feedback

Optical techniques for 3D surface reconstruction in computer-assisted laparoscopic surgery

One of the main challenges for computer-assisted surgery (CAS) is to determine the intra-opera- tive morphology and motion of soft-tissues. This information is prerequisite to the registration of multi-modal patient-specific data for enhancing the surgeon’s navigation capabilites by observ- ing beyond exposed tissue surfaces and for providing intelligent control of robotic-assisted in- struments. In minimally invasive surgery (MIS), optical techniques are an increasingly attractive approach for in vivo 3D reconstruction of the soft-tissue surface geometry. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art methods for optical intra-operative 3D reconstruction in laparoscopic surgery and discusses the technical challenges and future perspectives towards clinical translation. With the recent paradigm shift of surgical practice towards MIS and new developments in 3D opti- cal imaging, this is a timely discussion about technologies that could facilitate complex CAS procedures in dynamic and deformable anatomical regions

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

Wearable augmented reality platform for aiding complex 3D trajectory tracing

Augmented reality (AR) Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) are emerging as the most efficient output medium to support manual tasks performed under direct vision. Despite that, technological and human-factor limitations still hinder their routine use for aiding high-precision manual tasks in the peripersonal space. To overcome such limitations, in this work, we show the results of a user study aimed to validate qualitatively and quantitatively a recently developed AR platform specifically conceived for guiding complex 3D trajectory tracing tasks. The AR platform comprises a new-concept AR video see-through (VST) HMD and a dedicated software framework for the effective deployment of the AR application. In the experiments, the subjects were asked to perform 3D trajectory tracing tasks on 3D-printed replica of planar structures or more elaborated bony anatomies. The accuracy of the trajectories traced by the subjects was evaluated by using templates designed ad hoc to match the surface of the phantoms. The quantitative results suggest that the AR platform could be used to guide high-precision tasks: on average more than 94% of the traced trajectories stayed within an error margin lower than 1 mm. The results confirm that the proposed AR platform will boost the profitable adoption of AR HMDs to guide high precision manual tasks in the peripersonal space

Imaging in forensic science: Five years on

The Journal of Forensic Radiology and Imaging was launched in 2013 with the aim to collate the literature and demonstrate high-quality case studies on image-based modalities across the forensic sciences. Largely, the focus of this journal has been on the transmissive aspect of forensic imaging, and therefore a significant number of high-quality case studies have been published focusing on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. As a result, the ‘and imaging’ aspect is often neglected. Since 2013, technology has fundamentally evolved, and a number of new techniques have become accessible or have been demonstrated as particularly useful within many sub-disciplines of forensic science. These include active and passive surface scanning techniques, and the availability of three-dimensional printing. Therefore, this article discusses non-contact techniques, their applications, advantages, and considerations on the current state of play of imaging in forensic science