Power engineers experience augmented reality technologies in real conditions

2023: Testing a comprehensive "field" test program

Within the framework of close cooperation between the RusHydro Group, the Energy Without Borders Foundation of the Inter RAO Group and the INLINE GROUP technology company, a comprehensive program of "field" tests of domestic digital solutions was developed on the basis of the IKSAR software platform in combination with augmented reality glasses (AR-glasses). Inline Group announced this on May 24, 2023.

The test conditions were as close as possible to the real ones, the direct performers in all scenarios were specialists of the operational services at two branches of PJSC RusHydro at once - Votkinskaya HPP and Volzhskaya HPP.

Comprehensive tests were conducted on a wide range of scenarios. This is the production of switching in electrical installations using a switching form, with and without the participation of the controlling person, performing bypasses and inspections of equipment, preparing for the work of the workplace in electrical installations according to the work permit, conducting training (and/or control) emergency training.

The key task of the tests was to check in action both the augmented reality glasses themselves of industrial performance, their convenience, reliability, and, most importantly, the tests in effect of digital work regulations and control over the production of work in particularly important areas using the domestic software "IKSAR."

Obtaining real-time information directly from the work site by operating personnel significantly reduces the duration of processes, as well as increases the reliability and safety of equipment.

The well-coordinated teamwork of RusHydro and IKSAR, with the assistance of the Energy Without Borders Foundation, made it possible in a matter of days to prepare a large amount of digital regulations downloaded for execution on augmented reality glasses, as well as on traditional smartphones and tablets, for conducting comprehensive tests according to various scenarios. IKSAR already contains ready-made functionality of wide application for various scenarios of work of production personnel, only adaptation of regulations directly used in specific areas of work is required.

The production personnel received a brief briefing directly at the sites and proceeded with the planned activities with the assistance of the IXAR team. This became possible due to the intuitive interface of the mobile part of the ICSAR software platform. Training on augmented reality glasses took no more than 10 minutes.

During the tests, various models of AR glasses were used. RusHydro employees alternately used monocular and binocular models of AR glasses mounted on a helmet with loaded ICSAR software.

On the AR glasses screen, the employee saw a step-by-step regulation repeating his real production tasks, audio audio prompts additionally accompanied the execution of actions, reading tags helped to identify the equipment and the composition of actions on it. The employee immediately filled out check lists, entered data, carried out photos and videos recording the fact of actions and incidents/defects.

The steps/instructions and all actions on AR glasses were controlled by voice commands in Russian. The voice comments recorded in the course of the actions were automatically converted into text messages when processed on the server side of the platform, with the possibility of later viewing this information in the report on the performed operations.

As part of the indoor tests, low light situations were simulated, including a complete blackout, as well as work in the immediate vicinity of production equipment with noise generated up to 95 dB.

An important feature of the IKSAR platform is that the employee could perform all actions (except for video calls) offline.

A separate block of tasks was devoted to the video communication "IKSAR," which allows not only to work in the already familiar VKS format, but also to connect employees in AR glasses directly from the production site.

The tests were successful at both production sites. The results collected in IXAR demonstrated a digital trail of actions performed for all interested parties.

Operational personnel also noted the ability of IKSAR software to digitize a variety of processes performed by a person at the production site and send tasks to both AR glasses and smartphones/tablets.