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Keppel O&M is conducting a pilot project using AR/VR-capable “smart glasses” (Source: Keppel Corporation)
04 Aug 2022by Riviera News
The pilot project between Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) and the subsidiary of Keppel Corp and Singapore’s leading telecommunications company, M1 Ltd, received a grant from the Singapore government’s Ministry of Communications and Information.
The companies are partnering to test the use of 5G augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) ‘smart glasses’ in various activities at the Keppel O&M shipyard in Singapore.
The ‘smart glasses’ are equipped with a camera lens, microphone, micro-speaker and cellular or WIFI reception and use state-of-the-art computer software that can perform real-time analysis and provide data to the user.
The device allows the user to communicate with a receiver or control room and contains a microprojector that can project a digital overlay of text and images within the user’s field of vision.
Singaporean shipbuilder Keppel O&M said it believes the technology has multiple applications at different phases of a project’s construction. The technology is being tested in a number of operations, including site survey, virtualization remote monitoring of digital twins, and remote visual walkthrough.
Keppel O&M said the pilot project is part of its strategy to use digitalization and virtual technology to improve the efficiency of remote operations for its workforce.
Keppel O&M CEO Chris Ong said: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, when safe management measures limited physical inspections and site surveys, we were the first to officially carry out remote inspections for a new vessel. construction with a classification society using smart glasses.”
“Today, we are further expanding its use to not only improve project delivery efficiencies and improve yard operations, but also to expand our capabilities to provide digital solutions for our clients’ assets.”
For site inspections, inspection personnel wearing smart glasses will be able to view tasks and instructions that can be administered with voice commands through the headset, replacing check sheets and physical drawings. Keppel O&M said “remote training and expertise” can also be provided through the platform to reduce man hours required for on-site inspection and quality control by up to 50%.
The AR app allows monitoring of equipment performance and onboard system parameters through real-time sensor data. Field engineers can use these AR-assisted devices to capture and stream live data back to their main office for real-time remote guidance.
Keppel O&M said the sensor data can also be overlaid on the site engineer’s field of view, displaying key information such as real-time critical equipment performance and condition during operations to troubleshoot and correct problems. This app aims to improve the efficiency of field engineers by 40%.
Smart glasses can also be used to perform remote virtual tours of a vessel, allowing staff to perform pre-construction feasibility assessments simultaneously, allowing potential engineering design issues to be identified earlier, and mitigating pre-build risks. building.
M1 CEO Manjot Singh Mann said: “Through M1’s robust 5G network, the smart glasses can provide an immersive high-bandwidth AR/VR environment that enables highly detailed renderings and real-time information to be transmitted to users and control centers. The successful introduction of the smart glasses solution at Keppel O&M is a useful test case that can be scaled and replicated to increase operational efficiency and safety in companies and industries.”
The project received a grant from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) 5G Innovation Program for the development of virtual platform services. IMDA is a statutory board of the Singapore Ministry of Communications and Information.
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