[Table of Contents]

Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 8, 2406102 (2013)

Regular Articles

Augmented Reality Aided Operation and Maintenance System for Indoor Environments
Yuichi TAMURA, Tomohiro UMETANI and Shin KUBO1)
Konan University, Kobe 658-8501, Japan
1)
National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki 509-5292, Japan
(Received 22 November 2012 / Accepted 14 May 2013 / Published 15 August 2013)

Abstract

This paper proposes an Augmented Reality (AR) system to assist operation and maintenance tasks in an indoor environment, such as a nuclear fusion reactor and its building. AR is a technology that enhances real information by adding 3D virtual objects, images, sounds, or movies via a web camera. The AR system often uses “markers” such as QR code to detect the place where the virtual content should appear. However, these markers are unnatural and they can disturb the scenery. We propose an AR system that can detect natural markers, which provides AR content via a network. This system stores the information related to markers and virtual objects on a server. A device connected to this system automatically downloads this content so that the user can watch the AR content via a web camera. We add a real-time numerical simulation function that allows us to simulate physical phenomena by touching AR contents. It also enables us to observe simulation results by downloading a movie of numerical simulation results from the simulation server. Overall, this system allows us to watch the same content with multiple devices and to simulate physical phenomena using various parameters.

Keywords

augmented reality, virtual reality, natural marker, real-time simulation

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.8.2406102

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Yuichi TAMURA, Tomohiro UMETANI and Shin KUBO, Plasma Fusion Res. 8, 2406102 (2013).