Phase I Final Report: Augmented and Virtual Reality-Distributed Shareable Knowledge (XR-DiSK)
- TiER1 Performance Solutions
- Gronstedt Group
The goal of this Phase I SBIR was to investigate the possibilities for using Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to support knowledge elicitation and transfer in the electric utility industry. Our vision for the work is to develop a toolkit, previously referred to as AR-DiSK (Augmented Reality – Distributed Shareable Knowledge). The toolkit will provide capabilities for letting the utility gather knowledge from experts, and pass this knowledge to other workers who need it through the use of AR and VR tools for training and job performance aids to support the operators in their tasks. TiER1 Performance Solutions and the Gronstedt Group worked together with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to gain insights into the utility industry and identify needs that could be addressed using AR and VR technologies. We conducted eight meetings over the course of the project: three teleconferences and five on-site, in-person meetings. The on-site meetings included a guided tour and walkdown of the generating plant and a tour of the field service technician training facility. We identified nearly a dozen opportunities for AR and VR tools to support operations. These included providing just-in-time training on specific tasks and procedures, supporting collaboration between remotely located personnel, presenting supplementary information at the point of need, providing visual representations of invisible information (e.g., underground cables and access points, hazard boundaries), and providing robust training on hazard recognition and customer interactions. We discussed challenges and opportunities with each use case and identified that a VR-based training solution would offer the most effective way to show immediate value to the utility partner. CSU managers and field service personnel expressed concerns with near-term implementation of AR. The need to purchase and maintain equipment for multiple workers are high costs for a currently unseen benefit. However, VR-based training requires minimal equipment, and can be reused repeatedly. To get a broader industry perspective, we spoke with personnel from seven additional utilities. Four of these utilities spoke with us on multiple occasions. We learned that larger utilities are also investigating the potential for AR to improve operations. The “loss of knowledge” problem is well known in the industry and resonated with all personnel we interviewed. However, there was not always a direct transfer of “expert knowledge” to the use of AR and VR tools. For example, one use case for VR or AR is design verification and validation. By building a three-dimensional virtual model of a new design (e.g., substation, control center), workers can navigate through the model and identify potential concerns (e.g., line of sight, access, egress, reach and fit). This use of AR/VR improves design processes, but does not directly leverage worker expertise. Smaller utilities did not typically have AR/VR research efforts underway, and they echoed CSU’s concerns regarding equipment costs and return on investment. We compared capabilities of different AR and VR technologies. As a result of our interviews and evaluations, we renamed the project XR-DiSK (AR and VR-Distributed Shareable Knowledge) to capture both AR and VR capabilities. The Phase II effort will start with developing VR-based training for hazard recognition and customer interaction. In parallel, we will develop knowledge elicitation tools and features of the AR/VR toolkit. XR-DiSK will not be a VR authoring tool. Rather, it will provide capabilities to allow utilities to gather expertise, develop procedural guidance, and leverage existing training components into training and real-time job performance aids. The end result will be a toolkit for electric utilities to capture the knowledge of expert workers and translate it into effective VR and AR training and job performance aids.
- Research Organization:
- TiER1 Performance Solutions
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science and Technology (ST)
- Contributing Organization:
- Colorado Springs Utilities collaborated in this effort
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0018698
- OSTI ID:
- 1499859
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase I)
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-TIER1-18698-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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